Survival of the Fittest
by HLecter511
Summary: She had been sent down from the Ark to Earth to lend a hand in whatever medical help the group needs. What she didn't expect was the harsh reality of Earth that was making her to become something that most of the group feared to turn into. To become a top contender to be the fittest survivor at any means possible. (Ratings will change in future. Disclaimer in first chapter).
1. Chapter 1

*****Before I close it down, check out the POLL that I had posted. It has to do with the next story that will be posted! Please Vote! Thanks! *****

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**Chapter:** Space

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There had been a nuclear apocalypse on Earth around ninety-seven years ago. With powerful nuclear weapons destroying homes, there had been preparations if something chaotic like this was to happen. The preparation had been twelve space stations that were had been quickly launched into space.

Those twelve space shuttles had a combine total of four hundred or maybe more humans out of the whole Earth population.

They were known as the grounders because they had been born on Earth first rather than space. Those four hundred grounders soon got together. They ended up connecting, building and fused together all twelve space stations to be a whole. Once all together, they renamed the whole structure as Ark Station.

And they thrived.

For ninety-seven years, the Ark Station has been orbiting the Earth, the planet that their ancestors once lived. Over the years, many things have changed on the Ark Station. The population had grown to over two thousand plus; thus, resources had to be disputed cautiously. However, that had made the council to make stricter laws on the Ark Station to keep a good amount of resources. Therefore, if anyone got into trouble with the law, those over eighteen were usually sentence to death, which meant you were put into a capsule and shot out into space known as floated. Those under eighteen were the delinquent and were imprisoned until they are let go or sentence to death, which most likely happens after they turn eighteen.

All around the Ark Station there were jobs for everyone to keep the Ark Station up and running, such as, medical, mecha, hydra, agro, prison stations and so on. Everything had a purpose.

At twenty-one, Arla Griffin jogged down the hallways with a container of medicine in her hands. She apologized to those that she accidently brushed against as she tried hard to dodge those that were crowding up the hallway.

"Excuse me. Need to get to Ark station medical!" Arla exclaimed as a group of people decided to take up the whole hallway. They stared at her then move, some smiling as they knew how she was.

"Thanks!" Arla shouted to them as she runs on by.

Sliding around a corner and jogging again, her boot heels clanking across the metal flooring. Coming to a stop, she deeply breathed in and then out as the sliding glass and metal door open up before her to show her the medical stations.

"Look at that. Record time of six minutes."

"Record time for almost running a mile across the stations to get this to you, Aunt Abby." Arla handed over the medical supplies that had just been created by the government and science station.

Standing before Arla was her late cousin wife, Abigail Griffin, the chief medical officer. She had been married to Jake Griffin, who was Arla's second cousin while her father, Thomas Griffin had been the first cousin. But being around the same age, Thomas and Jake acted like brothers. Sad to say, both of them had been floated on the same day due to having important engineering information that the council didn't want to get out in public. With her mother gone too from a tragic accident, Arla had lived on her own but Jake's wife, Abigail, keeps watch on her. With Abigail watching over her, Arla begin to take lessons with her so that she can become a doctor in the future.

"How is Clarke?"

"She has been quiet." Abby replied while opening up the box to show vials of various medicines.

Arla nodded her head and she begin to help Abigail out with putting the supplies away. Arla would glance at Abigail, seeing that the lock up of Clarke was effecting her. Arla third cousin, Jake and Abigail daughter, Clarke, has been locked up for treason at the age of sixteen. She has been locked up for a year and a half now because Clarke knew about what her father and Thomas knew.

Both Jake and Thomas Griffin had been senior environmental engineers, who had discovered that The Ark was running out of oxygen supply. They wanted to tell the people, but instead, someone ratted them out and they had been floated.

Arla obviously knew the secret, but kept her mouth shut and the council had overlooked her. As for Clarke, she got sentence to treason. It made Arla to wonder why Clarke and not her.

Was it because she is aiming to be the future doctor once Abigail was gone? Arla didn't know.

"Arla."

"Yes?" Arla snapped out of the past thought to look over at Abigail. Her eyebrows coming slightly together as she saw Abigail looking around as if she was making sure no one was around before she stepped closer to Arla with seriousness.

"I need you to do something very important yet crazy and illegal."

"What!? Do you want me to get floated?" Arla whispered in reply, staring at her cousin wife Abigail with wide eyes as she couldn't believe what her Abigail, one of the council members had just said to her.

"Come on." Abby grabs her wrist and quickly led Arla out of the medical station, leading her down the hallway until they got back to Abby suite.

Once the door shut behind them, Arla pulled her wrist from Abby's grip and rubbed her left hand over her right wrist, staring at Abby like she was a crazy woman.

"What is it you need that can get me floated?"

"You mean, get me floated. I need you to sneak onto a dropship."

"Dropship? What do you mean, dropship?" Arla asked as she watched Abby pace back and forth in the room with her right hand gripping her chin before she stopped walking and stepped towards Arla.

"The council has decided to take a hundred delinquencies and send them down to Earth to see if it is livable. Clarke has been chosen to go down too."

"Why are you telling me all of this? Oh wait…" Arla realized why Abby was telling her this information because what Abby said about doing something illegal and crazy.

"No, no, no—"

"Arla I want you to pose as a guard to get onto that dropship and go down with them. They need something with medical experience."

"But Clarke knows a—"

"She knows enough to help wounds, but she doesn't know surgery or knowing certain types of herbs unless it smacks her in the face." Abby explained, reaching up to cup either side of Arla's face and swiping her long dark brown hair back.

"How can this work?" Arla lowly asked, having a funny feeling that Abby will not take no for an answer.

To have a medical person on bay, one that reads about what nature has to offer for medicine and learning from her late father about environment, Arla will be a good asset to have with the teenagers.

"The launch is going to happen tomorrow." Abby explained, walking away from Arla and going to the bedroom before coming back out with folded clothes. Guard clothes to be exact.

"Stay here for the night. There is a medical pack in the bedroom that you will need too. I will come by tomorrow and together we will go see Clarke. You'll lead Clarke with another guard to the dropship. Strip out of the guard clothes and get yourself buckle in. Put the pack underneath the seat and strap around her legs so it doesn't separate from you." Abby explained as Arla took the guard clothes from her and watched Abby disappear into the bedroom to come back out to show a backpack.

"How long have you been thinking of this? Planning?" Arla lowly asked as Abby stood at the door to leave the suite.

"Since the council passed the idea which has been two weeks ago. Be ready early tomorrow morning." Abby told her before leaving the suite.

Arla stood there with guard clothes in hand and a backpack on her side. She could not believe that this was happening, but she knew that this was because of the oxygen supply becoming very limited on the Ark. Sending down a hundred to see if the Earth is livable for everyone to survive.

Dropping the guard clothes on the coffee table, Arla collapsed in one of the armchairs and she blankly stared at the wall. With her left hand, she reached up to her necklace and touched the worn down sterling silver angel that has been passed down through generations of ancestors.

Earth.

To live there again, Arla could only image all the trees, animals and wildness on the Earth. A small smile could not help but slip upon her lips.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here's a first look of what I have in mind.**

**I have just started watching **_**The 100 **_**and I have to say, it is very interesting. I had been hit with ideas for this and decided to try on writing a story about it. **

**I'm going to apologize now and say sorry if any ideas and such is wrong. I'll try to understand everything closely. I just started watching season one.**

**(Side Note: I had just updated this because I notice a mistake about relating Clarke and Arla…I won't go into detail, but I fixed it).**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and please enjoy.**

**Disclaimer for this chapter and future chapters: I do not own anything about **_**The 100**_**, but I do, however, own my original characters, Arla and her parents. **

**Thank You!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter:** The Ground

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…**.. Next Morning: …..**

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The very next morning, Arla was already prepared in guards outfit and the backpack onto her back. She pulled the cap over her head after she braided her long hair into a bun on the back of her head.

Once the door slid open she walked out of the bathroom to stare at Abby, who has a blank expression. Abby walked forwards and holds out a leg holster with a handgun.

"You have to look like the role." Abby lowly said.

Arla grabbed the holster and she strapped the holster around the upper part of her right thigh. From there, Abby led Arla out and they begin walking down the hallway until they got to the prison station. However, before they went in, Abby grabbed the backpack from Arla's back.

"I'm going to put this into the dropship, underneath one of the seats. You have to get that seat or near it." Abby said making Arla to nod before entering the prison station and she begins walking along the platform to see guards leading struggling teenagers out of their cells and bringing them to the dropship.

Arla stopped by Clarke cell and she waited for Abby to come back. When Abby did, Arla bowed her head to hide her face while Abby led Clarke out, who begin to resist. Abby hugged Clarke to her while a guard from behind tranquilizers Clarke.

Arla grabbed ahold of Clarke's right arm and she slings it around her shoulder while Abby slings the other arm over her shoulder. As a higher rank, the guards let Abby help her daughter into the dropship.

"Strip now."

"Nice words." Arla lowly muttered, unzipping the guards clothes from her body and kicking it off her.

Dress in pants that clung to her legs, black buckle up knee high boots for the environment down below, long sleeve shirt and a black coat, Arla stared at Abby right in the eyes.

"Be safe." Abby said, putting a metal wrist band around Arla's left wrist.

"It's to show us that you guys are living."

"Right."

Abby pulled Arla into her arms, hugging her before leading her over to the seat that has a familiar backpack underneath it. Once Arla sat down, Abby helped her buckle in and then stared her right in the eyes.

"Live."

Arla only nodded her head while Abby nod back and quickly left the dropship as the other guards were getting ready to make sure that everyone was secure in their seats. Arla shut her eyes, hands clenching the straps of the seat as she felt the dropship moving around.

Her eyes scan around to see that everyone was knocked out from the tranquilizers that the guards shot them up. She begins to breathe in and out, trying to calm down as the dropship begins to rumble and then moving.

"Please work." She whispered before shutting her eyes as she felt the dropship shoot forwards.

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Everyone begin to arise as the dropship got closer and closer to the layer of the Earth. Arla stared around at the confused teenagers that were trying to figure out what was going on.

The TVs on the wall flicker on to show their Chancellor, Chancellor Jaha, which Arla has a feeling that this video was going to explain their situation. The ship shaking again made Arla to believe that they were about to hit the atmosphere.

"Prisoners of the Ark, here me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because of your crimes have made you expendable." Chancellor Jaha explained.

"Your dad is a dick, Wells." Someone shouted.

Arla snorted and shook her head, not believing that Wells was actually on this dropship too.

"Those crimes will be forgiven, your records wiped clean. The drop site has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base built within a mountain. It was to be stocked with enough nonperishables to sustain three hundred people for up to two years." Chancellor continue to explain.

"Spacewalk bandit strikes again." Someone said.

"Yeah, Finn!"

Turning attention to the center of the dropship was a seventeen year old teenager by the name of Finn, who was floating around thanks to the zero gravity. But Arla knew that once they get closer to Earth, he will splat back on the cold hard metal ground of the dropship.

Seeing that Finn was doing this act to show off, two other teens unstrapped and begin to float around too.

"Hey, you two, stay put if you want to live." Clarke shouted to the two that were pushing themselves out of their seats.

Arla eyes scan the cabin and her eyes saw the back of familiar blonde hair. She knew it had been Clarke that shouted the warning to the three teenage boys to buckle back up and not horse around.

"Either buckle yourselves up or meet the force when we crash land and have fun realigning your body back together." Arla spoken out with a strong authorize voice.

"Hey, isn't that Arla?"

"What the? She didn't get in trouble."

"Arla?" Clarke looked over her left shoulder to see her older cousin Arla sitting there. Arla winked at her before shutting her eyes and continues to listen to the Chancellor talking on the TV still.

"Mount Weather is life. You must locate those supplies immediately. Your one responsibility is stay alive…"

Everyone stop listening as the dropships started to violently shake and the sounds of grinding echo along the sides. The three that had unbuckle dropped, but when the dropship slightly shifted to the side, they were tossed across the dropship and through pipes causing smoke to burst out of them.

Sparks happening, lights flittering on and off, the teenagers begin to freak out.

Arla clenched the arms of the seats, keeping her eyes shut as the dropship kept shaking until there was the sound of the blasters then the dropship bounced and shut down.

Once the ship shut down, dim lights turn on and everyone was quiet.

"Listen. No machine hum." Monty said causing everyone to stare around, trying to figure out what to do next, or rather, waiting for someone to do something.

Not wanting to sit there forever, Arla unbuckled and she stood up, but kneeled down to grab the backpack from underneath her seat to slip it onto her back. She takes the clips on the straps and clipped them across her chest to make sure that backpack will stay with her.

Once she had unbuckle, everyone begin to quickly unbuckle and then gathering together near the ladder to go down to the lower levels were others were at too.

However, Arla walked over to the two teens laying on the ground, unmoving. She kneeled down and touched both their necks for their pulse. She shuts her eyes, shaking her head with a small frown on her lips.

"Finn, are they breathing?" Clarke came rushing over and asked.

Arla stood up and moves away as the so called Finn, the spacewalker stepped forwards to re-check the pulse. Clarke shook her head and she looked up at Arla, opening her mouth to say something, but stopped as someone begins to shout.

"The outer door is on the lower level. Let's go."

"No, we can't just open the doors." Clarke shouted before running to the ladder to get down with everyone else.

Arla followed after, keeping quiet for now as she made her way down the ladder.

"Hey, just back it up, guys." An unknown male said.

Arla eyes narrow on him, seeing that he was wearing a guard's uniform. She moved forwards through the people with Clarke, keeping her eyes on the young man and seeing that he has a familiar face, but she can't place a name on it.

"Stop. The air could be toxic." Clarke said.

"If the air is toxic, we're all dead, anyway."

"He does have a point." Arla puts her hand on Clarke's shoulder and bent down to whispered this into her ear.

"Bellamy?" A girl's voice asked.

Everyone turn to see a girl about seventeen, long dark brown almost black hair and grey eyes step forwards.

Now, Arla knew the young man's name and knew that he was no guard because she knew most of the guards' names.

"That's the girl they hid underneath the floor." Someone pointed out.

Eyebrows raised, Arla eyed the girl and she remembered hearing rumors about a woman hiding her daughter underneath the floors for years because there was the rule that a couple wasn't allow to have more than one child.

"My god, look how big you are." Bellamy said causing the girl to hug him to which he hugged her back with a smile.

"What the hell are you wearing, a guard's uniform?" The girl grabbed hold of the top of Bellamy uniform.

"I borrowed it to get on the dropship. Someone has got to keep an eye on you." Bellamy told the girl, chuckling while hugging her again.

"Where's your wristband?" Clarke asked, interrupting their moment.

"Do you mind? I haven't seen my brother in a year." The girl said a bit rudely before turning back to Bellamy with sass.

"A lot of people haven't seen someone they love in a year." Arla snapped back, resting her hands on her hips as the girl turn back around with her mouth open, but stopped when someone spoken out.

"No one has a brother."

"That's Octavia Blake, the girl they found hidden in the floor."

That caused the girl known as Octavia to freak out and went to lunge for anyone, but Bellamy, her older brother, grabbed hold of her while repeatedly saying her name.

"Octavia, Octavia, no. Let's give them something else to remember you by." Bellamy calmed her back down.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years." Bellamy said before stepping away, grabbing the lever and pulling.

The latches unlock and the door open up causing steam to blow around them. It was very bright as the door goes lower and lower to the ground. Once the door was fully down, they squint their eyes because of the brightness, but then their eyes soon adjust.

Before them has cause everyone to be awestruck by the beauty.

Everything was so green and the air felt very refreshing than the space shuttle oxygen supply. The sunlight shining down feels glorious across their skins.

It felt free.

Arla stared around and she saw that they landed in what was known as a forest. A forest that she could not wait to explore and learn more about.

With slow steps, Octavia breathed in the air before walking down the rest of the ramp and then hopping off it, onto the ground. She stared around in awe while taking in deep breaths before throwing her arms in the air.

"We're back, bitches!" Octavia excitedly shouted.

That statement caused everyone to cheer with excitement and begin to run out of the dropship to the new grounds. Cheering as they have had reached Earth.

Arla slowly stepped off the ramp while staring down at the ground beneath her feet with a grin, happy to be alive and to finally be back on Earth, where their ancestors had once lived.

They were actually back.

She looked up in time to see her little cousin walking off with the map and away from the landing site. Arla made her way after her and soon stepped up beside her as Clarke unrolled the map to look at it then up ahead where they saw more forest terrain and mountains in the distance.

"Why so serious, princess? It's not like we died in a fiery explosion." Finn appeared on the other side of Clarke.

"Try telling that to the two guys who tried to follow you out of their seats."

"Got you there." Arla mumbled, looking over the map then at the mountain then at the map with her eyebrows coming together in confusion then her eyes widen in realization.

"You don't like being called princess, do you, princess?" Finn asked, turning to her with a smirk and his hands clasped behind his back.

"Clarke, do you see what I am seeing?" Arla lowly asked her.

"Yes…do you see that peak over there?" Clarke answered Arla before turning to Finn with a serious expression and asked him this.

"Yeah." Finn said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Mount Weather. There's a radiation-soaked forest between us and our next meal. They dropped us on the wrong damn mountain." Clarke informed Finn, who smug smirk drop and he turned to look at Mount Weather with a shake of his head in disbelief.

"Well, isn't this lovely." Arla said, turning away and she begin walking back towards the dropship sight.

"Arla, where are you going?"

"To look around."

"But we should not be separated and we have to stick together as—"Clarke stopped speaking when Arla turn to her and stared her down.

"Clarke, I'm a big girl, better yet I'm a young woman. Don't try to be my dictator. I'll listen to you, but at times, I won't. Plus, look around you. Try telling that to the others at this moment." Arla told her, sending her an innocent smile before walking away and looking around the new area.

Arla hands were gripping the straps of her backpack as she walked through the forest. Her eyes scanning over the forest floor and then she looked up into the tall trees, not realizing she was getting father and father away from camp.

Pausing, she kneeled down to stare around the forest floor, staring at the certain plants around her. She crept forwards to one plant while unbuckling the clips on her backpack and she pulled it off to set in front of her. Opening a small pocket on the backpack, she pulled out a worn down wildness book that has information on the plants, animals and terrain. The plant section of the book does explain if a plant was an herb and what can it be used for.

Sliding the backpack back on and clipping the clasps back across her chest, she stayed kneel down while opening the book to the plant section.

"Now, let's see what I have here." Arla reached out to a bush that has long stems with long leaves that appear fuzzy and there was tiny light lavender purple flowers coming from the end of branches.

"Peppermint." Arla whispered, bending forwards to smell the scent before she pulls a knife from within her boot to begin cutting some of the branches.

"The leaves and flowers will do good help with upset stomach, maybe make essential oils." Arla talked to herself as she cut the plant before sliding the knife back into the sheath then back into her boot.

Reaching back to the side of her backpack, she pulled out a plastic bag that has smaller plastic bags within. There, Arla placed the peppermint in one of the small baggies and sealed it up. Gently tucking the items into the side of her backpack, she stood up and she started to walk through the forest again.

As Arla continued to explore, she heard nothing and that made her wonder why. Where was the animals or insects that supposed to inhabitant this forest? Instead, she felt as if she was being watched and she sure as hell did not like that feeling.

Pausing in her exploring, she turned around and she decided that it will probably be best if she head on back. Though hearing a familiar voice over a hill to her right, she begins walking into that direction.

"Hey, guys, would you keep up?"

Arla reached over the hill and smirked when she saw her cousin with Finn, Octavia, Monty and Jasper behind her.

"Come on, Clarke. How do you block all this out?"

"Well, it's simple. I wonder, why haven't we seen any animals? Maybe it's because there are none Maybe we've already been exposed to enough radiation to kill us. Sure is pretty, though. Come on." Clarke said, turning around.

Silently and quickly, Arla runs across a fallen down tree then jumped down in front of Clarke making her to scream then growled upon seeing a snickering Arla. The others laughed too while Clarke crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Arla.

"She is right about the animal part. Though the radiation part is interesting. Makes me wonder if all this nature around us is adaptable to the radiation to live. Or maybe we are immune to the radiation enough to survive." Arla explained as she turned around to walk after Clark, who was walking away halfway through Arla's explanation.

"Jeesh, you got princess and then you got the doc with rambling scientific information that actually might be something useful." Finn dryly said then smirked as Arla stuck her right hand in the air then flipped him off.

"She does have deep ideas that are very much intriguing." Monty pointed out.

"I was just thinking of how quiet she appear and how smoothly she ran across that mossy fallen tree." Jasper said, trying to figure out how Arla moved so quietly while he eyed the fallen tree that she had just went across moments ago.

While they converse from behind, Clarke ran a bit ahead where she kneeled down before an opening that led into a clearing. Arla jogged up behind her then kneeled down beside her. Soon the others appear and Clarke shushed them while pointing forwards, ahead of them.

Before them, in the clearing was what is known as a deer that was eating grass before them.

They cannot all help but stare with awe as this was their first time seeing an animal in the forest with them, but also, ever seeing one such as this.

"No animals, huh?" Finn whispered to Clarke with a grin before he begins to creep forwards to get closer to the sighting until he stepped on a twig.

The snap caused the deer to lift its head up and then turn in their direction to stare them down. They all gasped as the deer appear to have a regular head, but growing out of the side of its head was another deer head. It then ran off into the forest, leaving them to stare at the spot it once was in. They started to wonder what else was out here that appeared like that.

"Now, we know wildlife can survive in the radiation. Such as that mutated deer." Arla lowly told them before standing up from her kneeling position.

"Let's keep going." Clarke said, licking her lips before walking through the clearing with them trailing behind her.

It appear after that moment of the sighting of the mutation animal, no one spoke as they were still in a bit of shock. This time, their eyes kept glancing around their surroundings to make sure there isn't any other mutation that might come around and that might come after them.

"Hey, you know what I'd like to know? Why send us down today after ninety-seven years? What changed?" Finn asked as the group was making their way down a steep hill, dodging the trees here and there.

"Who cares? I'm just glad they did. I woke up rotting in a cell, and now I'm spinning in a forest." Octavia said, grabbing a thin tree and spinning herself around to face them since she had been leading the group.

They continue on by her.

"Maybe they found something on a satellite, you know like an old weather satellite or—"Monty had been saying, until Arla snorted at their ideas and soon enough Clarke blurted out the truth.

"It wasn't a satellite. The Ark is dying."

Once that had been said, the group stopped while Clarke and Arla walked on by to re-lead the group. They quickly follow after them, snapping out of their still shock phases and they got closer to the two relatives to listen in closely to what they had to say about the Ark.

"At the current population level, there's roughly three months left of life support, maybe four now that we're gone." Clarke told them.

"There isn't supposed to be over a thousand people on that Ark to begin with." Arla mumbled, but they had heard her as their eyes widen even more.

"So that was the secret they locked you up to keep, why they kept you in solitary, floated your old man and your older cousin, Arla's father?" Finn said and asked, looking in between the two relatives.

"My father and Arla's father were both engineers who discovered the flaw. They thought the people had a right to know. The council disagreed. My mother disagreed. They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were gonna go public, anyway, when Wells—"Clarke explained then she stopped when she mention about her ex-best friend and the Chancellor's son.

"What? Turned in your dad and older cousin?"

"Anyway, the guard showed up before we could. That's why today. That's why it was worth the risk. Even if we all die, at least they brought themselves more time." Clarke explained.

"They're gonna kill more people, aren't they?" Monty asked, his voice wavering at the thought, especially when his family was still up there with the other parents that have children down here.

"To be honest, probably if they are desperate." Arla spoken out making Clarke to look at her and Arla to shrug her shoulders as she wasn't going to lie about that.

"Good. After what they did to me, I say, float them all." Octavia said making them to pause in walking to watch her swagger on by with a smirk.

"You don't mean that." Jasper chased after Octavia and said.

"We have to warn them." Finn steps closer to Clarke and told her while searching her eyes.

"That's what my father said." Clarke replied, searching Finn's eyes before walking backwards to follow after the others.

Arla made a throw up gesture causing Monty to snicker. Rolling her eyes, Arla motioned her head for Monty to follow after Jasper and Octavia with Clarke and Finn now trailing behind them.

"Oh damn, I love Earth." Jasper said as they came up beside him when he had stop walking.

Looking ahead, to see a rocky edge and the sound of water rushing below. But what they were really staring at was Octavia stripping out of her pants to leave her in underwear and her top. She begin to walk to the edge of the rocky cliff edge.

"Oh, holy…"

The boys chuckle while Clarke mouth drop in disbelief at Octavia's actions while Arla shook her head as she has a bad feeling about this.

"Octavia, what the hell are you doing?"

Once Clarke shouted after her, Octavia jumped off the edge making them all to run forwards when they heard a splash. Their eyes widen at the sight of the large river before them.

"Octavia…We can't swim?" Monty shouted as they stand on the edge, staring down at her.

"I know, but we can stand." Octavia laughed with a smile.

"Wait. There's not supposed to be a river here." Clarke said, looking around with confusion while the others keep watching Octavia.

"Well there is. So take off your damn clothes." Finn said with a smug smirk.

The group begin to take off their clothes while Arla continue to shake her head and she turned away. She started walking around on the cliff overhang of this river. She paused and kneeled down on the edge, eyes searching the river. Arla doesn't have a good feeling about this river, especially with Clarke saying that it was supposed to not be here.

"Octavia, get out of the water."

Hearing Jasper panicking voice, Arla rushed over to them to see a large black mass coming towards Octavia at a fast pace.

"Get out of the water now!" Jasper shouted.

They all jumped when Octavia gets violently taken under the water. Whatever grabbed her, begins to shake her around and then take her under causing them to freeze in their places, wondering if she was gone now.

"Oh, shit." Arla whispered.

With a burst out of the water, Octavia appeared while smacking the water and screaming then being taken back under. Both Jasper and Monty run along the cliff edge to get closer.

"What the hell is that? We have to help her." Monty exclaimed, pointing at where the creature that has Octavia was from a higher point on the cliff ledge.

"What are you going to do?"

"Try not to get eaten."

"No. Wait. If we distract it, it might let her go. Help me." Clarke said, pushing at a loose rock on the edge with Finn and Monty help.

"Jasper, get down low just in case it lets Octavia go. Someone can at least grab her onto shore." Arla shouted, pointing down to the small rock landing below the cliff ledge.

The goggle wearing teenager nodded his head before hopping down to where Arla pointed. Hearing a splash, Arla turned to see they got the rock into the water and the large water creature let Octavia go.

"It worked. It let her go." Monty pointed out to the now struggling Octavia in the water since none of them know how to swim.

"Try to swim to the shore!" Arla shouted down to Octavia before Arla makes her way down to where Jasper was and he kept yelling for her.

Just as Arla got down to the rocky platform, Jasper jumped right into the water and grabbed Octavia. They begin to struggle their way back to the rocks where Arla was reaching out to grab them.

"It's coming right back for you guys."

Once they got close, Arla reached forwards to grab Jasper by the back of his shirt and Octavia by her arm, tugging them right onto the shore with a grunt. Her greenish blue eyes watch as the water creature swims right by them.

Seeing a bloody bite wound of Octavia's upper right thigh, Arla immediately pulled off her back and she begin to take out the gauze.

"For now, I'll just wrap it up, but we'll clean it later." Arla said, looking at Octavia, who was shakily hugging Jasper and whispering, thank you, over and over to him for jumping into the water for her.

"Note to self, next time, save the girl." Monty said, patting his best friend Jasper on the shoulder.

They all nervous chuckle while Arla finished her work and packed everything back up into the bag. She pulled it back on while standing up and staring around at the surroundings with her hands on her hips and once again found herself shaking her head.

"Not to sound like a downer, but how about we use our common sense before jumping into a situation that we do not fully know about because I have to say, we are making ourselves look like complete idiots out here." Arla said, turning to face the teenagers with a slight raised eyebrows.

They nod their heads, frowning a bit as they knew that Arla was right.

"Now, the sun is going down. I suggest we go back into the woods and sleep there because there is no way in hell I'm sleeping next to a river that has a damn man-eating creature. No thank you." Arla suggested before walking back into the woods.

"I agree." Monty nodded before following after Arla.

"I second that." Jasper quickly said, taking a glance at the river and shivering at the thought of that creature.

"Follow, Arla." Clarke said, walking behind everyone else as Arla led the group back into the forest to find somewhere safe for them to sleep the night.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here is another chapter!**

**Please Review!**

**Thank You!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter:** We're Not Alone

…**..**

…**.. Next Morning: …..**

…**..**

After finding a spot on a mossy bed surrounded by trees that have glowing radiated fungi on them—that only glowed at night—they got up early to continue their journey to Mount Weather.

They manage to find a few hanging vines to which they taken the rope that had been packed in the backpack that Clarke has on her back and they tied the vines around the rope. Finn had climbed up a tree, tied the rope up, and made sure that it was secure on the branch.

Now, they stood facing Finn and Jasper tugging on the rope while standing on a high part of the cliff ledge that they had been on yesterday. They didn't want to take the chance of crossing the river again after what happen to Octavia yesterday.

"You want to go first. Now quit stalling. Mount Weather awaits." Clarke said, staring at Finn, who was holding the rope vine and smirking.

"Come on show off. Let's go." Arla said causing Monty and Octavia to smirk in amusement as Arla stepped forwards and threw her hands out to her sides before placing them back on her hips.

"Today, Finn!" Clarke said.

"Aye, aye, captain. See you on the other side." Finn saluted Clarke off while tugging the rope vine again and leaning back on his heels to get ready to run forwards.

"Wait." Jasper turned to Finn saying, after he had stared at Octavia with lovesick puppy eyes.

"What?"

"Let me. I can do it." Jasper bounced on the heels of his feet. Finn took a glance at Octavia then at Jasper with a smirk, seeing why Jasper wanted to do it first.

"Knew there was a badass in there somewhere." Finn smirked, patting Jasper chest.

They waited for a few seconds, seeing Jasper getting an unsure look once he got a grip on the rope vine.

"Hey, it's okay to be afraid, Jasper. The trick is not fighting it."

"See you on the other side." Jasper chuckled, pulling himself back then running forwards then jumping off the ledge, swinging across. He shouted in the adrenaline rush before letting go of the rope vine and falling on a rock platform on the other side, hitting a few branches here and there.

They all quickly run forwards to the cliff ledge, staring at Jasper getting up with a look of shock that he did it then he smiles and threw his arms in the air.

"We are Apogee!" Jasper shouted causing them to shout in excitement for him.

Arla chuckles, shaking her head as she can see that Jasper was definitely a risk taker when he was trying to impress someone or knows that he must do what he has to do in order for others to go along.

"You're up, princess." Finn holds out the rope vine to her.

"Come on, Clarke. You're up. You can do it." Jasper shouted from the other side.

They all look at Clarke while Jasper was digging something on the other side.

"Hey, we did it. Mount Weather."

They turn around to see Jasper holding up a worn down and messed up sign, but they can clearly see the words, 'Mount Weather' on them. Jasper begins cheering while holding the sign up, shaking it making them to smile, but it soon dropped.

A spear out of nowhere comes splitting through the air and nailed Jasper straight in the center of his chest. The force of the throw was so great that Jasper was lifted off his feet and he slammed to the ground.

Quickly, the rest of them slide down the ledge and hug the edge while peeking over the ledge to stare into the forest. They hear footfalls running around through the forest making them to get closer together, their hearts were racing and they knew that something dangerous was definitely out there.

"We're not alone." Clarke blurted out.

"We have to make a run for it, back to the dropship because if we stay here any longer, we will be picked off very easily." Arla whispered making Clarke to nod before being the first ones to run out of the spot.

Quickly, they rest all follow, sprinting through the forest, dodging trees and any sorts of branches or brushes on the ground. Monty ended up leading the group after Clarke pause to look back, but Finn grabbed her to keep going.

Arla trailed behind Monty, but slides to a stop when Monty tripped over something and falls down.

"Come on. We got to go." Arla and Octavia bends down to help Monty up, but upon lifting him up they see why Monty was staring at the ground with a horrified expression.

There was old human bones litter around the ground making them to get even more freaked out about whoever or whatever it was in these forest with them.

"Who are they?" Finn asked.

"What are they?" Clarke said, bending down and picking up a skull that was deformed and looking away from it to stare at them.

"We are so screwed." Octavia panted, slouching against Monty.

A yell made them to whirl around to look behind them.

"Jasper. He's alive." Clarke said before sprinting by them to head back to the river where Jasper had been.

"Wait, wait, and stay out of the trees." Finn said, catching up to her and tugging her down behind bushes with the rest of them.

They stare over the river to the spot where Jasper had been impaled and only see the worn down Mount Weather sign that Jasper had been holding up earlier.

"He was right there. No. Where is he?" Monty shakily said.

"They took him."

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When they had gotten back to the dropship site, they didn't see anyone around. But upon hearing cheering off to the side where there was a slight decline of a hill and drop, the group ran over there.

They found everyone making a circle around something and staring down, cheering. Down below was Bellamy watching Wells and Murphy fighting with handmade sharpen metal to resemble knives.

At the moment, Wells has Murphy in a headlock with a knife to Murphy's throat while Bellamy stood before them with a blank expression.

"Wells! Let him go." Clarke shouted causing everyone to turn to see that Clarke and Arla with the rest are back.

With Clarke command, Wells tossed Murphy away and to the ground. Not liking the outcome of the fight and knowing that he would have lost if Clarke didn't show up, Murphy shoots up and charges Wells, but Bellamy intercepted his path.

"Enough, Murphy." Bellamy thrown Murphy back before turning to the side of the hill to see his little sister being helped down with by Monty and Arla since Octavia's leg has been bothering her after the sprinting.

"Octavia. Are you alright?" Bellamy takes Octavia in his arms, helping her stand up straight.

"Yeah."

Seeing that they were back empty, Bellamy stepped closer to them with Octavia leaning on him.

"Where's the food?" Bellamy demanded, eyeing each of them and seeing how they have this slight scared look, but not because of him.

"We didn't make it to Mount Weather." Finn said, sitting down on a rock and looking at Clarke before looking over at Bellamy with a blank expression.

"What the hell happened out there?" Bellamy shouted.

"We were attacked." Clarke blurted out causing those around to mumble to their neighbors while eyeing Clarke and the rest of the group that had went along with her.

"Attacked? By what?" Wells asked.

"Not what. Who. It turns out, when the last man from the ground died on the Ark, he wasn't the last grounder." Finn explained, looking right at Bellamy with raised eyebrows to shout at them anymore.

"It's true. Everything we thought we knew about the ground is wrong. There are people here, survivors. The good news is that means we can survive. Radiation won't kill us." Clarke said, looking around at the rest of the teens that were listening in.

"Yeah, well, the bad news is the grounders will." Finn added in.

"I believe that we have trespassed on their ground." Arla said, crossing her arms over her chest as she stood on the other side of Octavia. Arla needed to finish fixing Octavia injury and make sure that no infection was settling in.

"Where's the kid with the goggles?" Wells asked, staring at Clarke.

"Jasper was hit. They took him." Clarke answered before looking down at Wells arm to see that his wristband is gone.

"Where's your wristband?" Clarke demanded, grabbing Wells arm the stare up at him as she couldn't believe that he had taken it off.

"Ask him." Wells nodded his head towards Bellamy making the group to turn towards the older Blake with questionable stares. Bellamy doesn't answer as all eyes were on him and he was moving unsteadily on his feet.

"How many?" Clarke asked, stepping closer into Bellamy direction.

"Twenty-four and counting." Murphy answered, looking up from the ground with a smug smirk.

"You idiots." Clarke lowly said at first then getting this rage expression across not only her face but her posture too.

"Big time idiots with idiotic thoughts. You're right, Octavia, we are screwed." Arla blurted out, shaking her head while glaring at Bellamy, who quickly looked away.

"Life support on the Ark is failing. That's why they brought us down here. They need to know the ground is survivable again, and we need their help against whoever is out there. If you take off your wristbands, you're not just killing them. You're killing us!" Clarke shouted as she stared at all the others.

Not liking how Clarke was getting the spotlight and making a point where the other teens are getting unsure and scared looks on their faces when Clarke smacked the truth down, Bellamy takes a stand.

"We're stronger than you think. Don't listen to her. She's one of the privileged. If they come down, she'll have it good. How many of you can say the same? We can take care of ourselves. That wristband on your arm? It makes you a prisoner. We are not prisoners anymore! They say they'll forgive your crimes. I say you're not criminals! You're fighters, survivors! The grounders should worry about us!" Bellamy shouted, pacing in front of teens as he made his statement.

"YEAH!" The teens shouted, throwing their arms in the air and cheering in agreement with what Bellamy had to say.

"Come on, Octavia, let me look over this injury again." Arla said through clenched teeth, wrapping Octavia's left arm around her shoulder.

"Where are you going with my sister?"

Pausing in walking with Octavia to the dropship, Arla slightly turned and she made sure to give Bellamy a death glare that had actually made Bellamy to take a half of step back. Octavia went to open her mouth to tell her brother where they were going, but Arla beat her to the punch.

"I'm going to help your sister's injury that she got down at a river thanks to an unknown water creature. The river where Jasper crossed and got perfectly speared in the chest with such power that he had been lifted off his feet. A spear that a grounder threw with such strength and accuracy. A grounder, who most likely has friends that has a lot more weapons and knowledge of this forest than we do. Now, I suggest you run along or shut your fucking mouth around me because I need to take care of your little sister's injury. Why don't you go and round up your rebellious army and tell them that everything is going to be alright against grounders that have lived here and are stronger than us." Arla snapped causing Bellamy and Octavia to stare at her with wide eyes.

Arla turned around and helped Octavia once again to the dropship.

"You do know that is my brother."

"Yeah, your brother who is going to get us all killed." Arla hissed making Octavia to shut her mouth, knowing that it was a bad idea to be a sarcastic smartass with Arla in a very pissed off mood.

While Arla made Octavia sit on a stump near the dropship, she made Octavia rip that pant leg off and then Arla begins to clean up the wound. Octavia hissed in pain while her other leg was bouncing up and down, trying to not flinch away from Arla.

After about five minutes of taking care of the wound and finishing on wrapping it up, Bellamy had made his way over with his 'bodyguards' Atom and Murphy trailing behind him.

"What was it out there?"

"The others side it was a giant snake." Octavia answered, keeping her eyes focus on the way that Arla was wrapping up her thigh.

"Jasper had jumped in for her and pulled her out." Clarke came forwards and said.

"You guys leaving? I'm coming too." Octavia said and she went to stand up, but Bellamy stepped forwards with his right hand out and placing it on her shoulder.

"No, no. No way. Not again." Bellamy said.

"He's right. Your leg's just gonna slow us down…I'm here for you." Clarke said, staring at Bellamy, who slowly turned around to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Clarke, what are you doing?" Wells questioned.

"I hear you have a gun." Clarke said to which Bellamy lifted his shirt up to show the handgun tucked away in his pant waistband.

Arla packed up her medical supply but then she realized the gun in Bellamy's pants waistline. Her eyes flicker down to see that she has a gun in a holster on her right leg making her to sigh out and shake her head, wondering why she didn't think to use it early, or rather, have it out to be prepared.

"Good. Follow me." Clarke said, walking by him.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you want them to follow you, and right now, they're thinking only one of us is scared." Clarke said with a smug look causing Arla to chuckle as she saw that Clarke just pulled an ace out of the deck.

"Murphy. Come with me. Atom? My sister doesn't leave this camp. Is that clear?" Bellamy ordered.

"I don't need a babysitter." Octavia quickly said, looking up from her bounded up leg to her older brother, but sees that he turn away from her to look at Atom with a hard stare.

"Anyone touches her, they answer to me…let's go." Bellamy said, pulling on his jacket before quickly walking after Clarke and Wells with Murphy trailing behind.

Arla thrown her hands in the air, looking around to see what there was to do, but since there was really no order she shrugged her shoulders and she started to make her way into the forest to do more research and exploring.

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…**.. Hours Later: …..**

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Returning back from exploring the forest around the dropship area, Arla has found more peppermint and also, Bee Balm, which will be great use either dried out or boiled in hot water to make a certain tea. Helping with the digestive tract or with infections, which will be helpful with the way things were going.

The sun had been setting when Arla got back and as she walked through, she heard that the group was back. That Jasper was groaning in pain up in the higher level of the dropship.

Getting into the dropship, she made her way up the ladder to see Clarke and Monty hovering around a groaning Jasper.

"How is he?"

"He is burning up and the puncture wound didn't go far into his chest." Clarke said, sitting back as Arla pulled back the blanket to stare at the wound.

"It's slightly seal up. Like it had been—"

"Treated? Yeah, we found this salve on his wound with these red plants."

"So, whoever taken him down, treated him too? Isn't that a bit odd to you?" Arla said, pulling out a bottle of pain killers and making Monty to help her lift Jasper up to plop a few into his mouth and made sure he safety swallows it.

"That should hold him off for a bit." Arla whispered, putting the bottle back into her backpack.

"Yes, it is odd. When we got him, he had been strapped to a tree. We believe the grounders were trying to lure us in."

"Well then…whatever type of red root plant was on that salve, we need it. It appear to fight off any sort of infection making it some sort of antibiotic. However, now that it is off and mostly dried up because it needs to be change; an infection can resettle in Jasper. We need that red plant."

"Don't you have anything in your bag to prevent this?" Monty pointed out.

"Probably, but what happens when I run out of it. If we find this plant then—"

"We can keep using it and not run out."

"Exactly. For now, I'm lessening his pain, I'll keep cleaning out his wounds and I'll give him a small dosage of antibiotics. But we have to find out where this plant is. The more we have some, the more we can prevent infections like this from happening again." Arla told Clarke, who nodded her head and then mumbled about getting dinner.

"For now, I'll take care of cleaning out his wound and making sure he is comfortable."

"Okay. I'm going to continue trying to figure out a way to contact the Ark." Monty told her before walking across the floor to the corner where he has tools surrounding him.

Arla looked down at Jasper, brushing his sweaty hair away and frown, hoping that they don't lose another one of their own.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here's another chapter!**

**Review and Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter:** Yellow Fog

…**..**

…**.. Later that Night: …..**

…**..**

With the groaning of Jasper, those below were trying to sleep, but couldn't with Jasper causing a ruckus. Arla, Clarke and Monty were sitting around Jasper, trying to keep him stable, but his fever was only getting worst and his groaning kept getting louder and louder.

"Keep an eye on him." Clarke said before leaving Monty and Arla alone.

"Is he going to be fine, Arla?" Monty lowly asked, sitting by his best friend head and wiping Jasper forehead with a wet cloth.

"He'll be fine, Monty. His body is in a war right now and trying to fix itself." Arla whispered in reply, staring at Jasper, who lets out another loud groan.

"Shut up, up there!"

"How about you shut up? How would you like it if you had a spear hit your sternum, jackass." Arla shouted down causing grumbles down below.

Monty snorted and chuckled making Arla to look at him with a shrug of her shoulders.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Arla replied, sitting herself down on the other side of Jasper and sitting pretzel style.

"Be strong. You know all of this is happening. I know that you go by yourself into the forest. How?" Monty asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"Because if I sit around, doing nothing, nothing will get accomplish. It's survival for the fittest, Monty. Sad to say, but it is. We are only strong if we believe that we are strong. If you create limits on yourself then you're screwed. By having limits, you stop yourself at a certain point of doing things; thus, never knowing the true results of something if you go beyond that point. Believing that you can do something, taking a risk and showing courage, you'll start to feel yourself becoming stronger. By feeling stronger, it shows others how to be strong too. If we have constant fear, we will not get anything done. We have to be strong, even if you have to pretend to be, you'll still making an image of strength before others." Arla explained while she checks over Jasper and begins to clean his chest, squeezing the puss out of the wound to which Monty made a disgust look.

"I see." Monty lowly replied, looking around the room before his eyes land on the bracelet and the tools.

"Do you mind if I continue to work on that?"

"Not at all. You can do it, Monty. I know you can."

Monty only nodded with a slight grin before going back to his little work area to continue tinkering with the wristbands and other electric gadgets.

Arla looked down at Jasper with a small grin and brushing Jasper hair back as he continues to groan in pain from his body fighting the fever and most likely a settling infection too.

"Strength is shown in many forms."

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…**.. Next Morning: …..**

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Most of their little group consisted of, Clarke, Finn, Octavia, Monty, Wells, Jasper and Arla. The ones that were in the upper part of the dropship to look over Jasper was Arla, Clarke, Monty and Finn. They were all sitting around the pain stricken Jasper, who was groaning louder than before.

"The grounders had cauterized the wound. Saved his life." Clarke explained to Finn since he wanted to know what the situation was with Jasper.

It appeared that everyone around the dropship was getting annoyed by Jasper moaning and groaning in pain. Some even speaking about getting rid of Jasper to not listen to him anymore.

"Saved his life so they could string him up for live bait…Garden of Eden this ain't." Finn said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

"His wound became infected overnight." Arla pointed out as Clarke is cleaning around Jasper's injury with a new wet cloth.

"He could be septic…any progress on using the wristbands to contact the Ark? Monty?" Clarke looked over at Monty, who was staring at his groaning best friend before looking at Clarke as she snapped his name to regain his attention on her.

"That would be a firm no." Monty replied.

Hearing footsteps, Arla glanced over her shoulder to see that Wells has appeared and was now kneeling down beside Clarke while he looked over Jasper with the rest of them.

"My mother would be a great help right now."

"What we need is those red plant that were on that slab of paste." Arla firmly stated making Clarke to look at her with widen eyes then nodded her head.

"How's he doing?" Wells decided to cut in.

"How does it look like he's doing, Wells?" Clarke snapped.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help." Wells replied.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Arla knew that Clarke holds a deep grudge against Wells because he was the one that told on their fathers and got them floated into space. However, Arla tried not to be a complete bitch to Wells, especially when they need everyone's help when it comes to surviving the new Earth.

"Right. You want to help? Hold him down."

"If you are going to do what I think you're going to do, I'm doing it." Arla pointed out to Clarke, who nodded her head and grabbed hold of Jasper's left arm while Wells pushed down on Jasper legs and Finn holding Jasper right arm down.

Arla takes out a knife and hovered it over the small lit fire that they made in a small metal container. Once the blade begins to turn orange, she turned back to the groaning Jasper and leaned forwards, hovering the blade over the infectious wound.

"I'm not gonna like this, am I?" Monty asked making his way over to help with holding Jasper down.

As Arla placed the knife near the wound to begin cutting the infected puss away, Jasper begins struggling and loudly screaming instead of his groaning.

"Hold him still. We need to have that infected flesh cut away." Clarke looked at everyone as Arla paused in her work as she sees that Jasper's eyes rolled back and he went limp.

"Stop it! You're killing him." Octavia appeared out of nowhere, kneeling down beside Jasper head and staring at Arla with unshed tear filled eyes.

"She is trying to save his life." Finn answered.

"She can't." Bellamy appeared making Arla to sigh out and look at him.

"Great, leader jackass of the rebellion makes his presence known." Arla sarcastically said, looking back at Jasper to see Octavia using another wet cloth to pat down his feverish forehead.

"Back off." Wells stood up to face Bellamy and said with a tired sigh.

"We didn't drag him through miles of woods just to let him die." Clarke calmly said, not wanting to show her annoyance to Bellamy again.

"The kid's a goner. If you can't see that, you're deluded. He's making people crazy." Bellamy told them, mostly towards Clarke.

"If this happen to you, should we just opt you out?" Arla snapped and went to stand up to face against Bellamy, sick and tire of him being like this. She hated that he think that he was all high and mighty. All Arla wanted to do is kick him off his high horse and tell him a big fuck off to his face.

Before Arla could fully stand up, Finn grabbed her right wrist and gently tugged her back down into a kneeling position. He shook his head, knowing that whatever Arla says, Bellamy was just going to be a stubborn jackass and retaliate against her.

"Sorry if Jasper's an inconvenience to you, but this isn't the Ark. Down here, every life matters." Clarke firmly stated through clench teeth, her hands clenching into fists to hold herself back from yelling.

"Take a look at him. He's a lost cause." Bellamy lowly said.

They all look Jasper unconscious form, seeing the sheer sweat building up all over his body yet his chest was still moving showing he is breathing.

"Octavia, I've spent my whole life watching my mother heal people. If I say there's hope, there's hope." Clarke begins to talk to Octavia, knowing that the little sister of Bellamy can get through to her older brother if she argues against him.

"This isn't about hope, it's about guts. You don't have the guts to make the hard choices. I do. He's been like this for three days. If he's not better by tomorrow, I'll kill him myself…Octavia, let's go." Bellamy grabbed the ladder, staring at his little sister, who was still kneel down by Jasper's head and dabbing his head with the wet cloth.

"I'm staying right here." Octavia said causing Bellamy's jaw to flex from holding back from saying anything more and he made his way back down the ladder.

"Dick." Arla muttered.

"Power-hungry, self-serving jackass. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. No offense." Monty said, looking at Octavia, who only shrugged her shoulders as she knew it was true.

Arla could see that Octavia was starting to side with them more than her older brother, Bellamy to which Arla couldn't help but mentally smirk.

"Yeah. Bellamy is all of that. But he also happens to be right." Finn slowly stated making all of them to stare at him with shock.

"Whatever that was on the slab that the grounders used on his wound, needs to be found. It worked as an antibiotic. I need air." Arla stood up, moving towards the ladder and begins to make her way away from the site.

"Where are you going, doc?" Bellamy stepped forwards before her.

"Bellamy I really don't need your jackass lectures anymore. How about you do something around here and build a wall or something instead of being a jackass spoke person. Now, leave me be." Arla snapped, shoving him aside as she continue her journey into the forest.

Arla goes deeper and deeper into the woods, just exploring. Once she felt that she had travel far enough from the drop site where she doesn't hear anyone anymore, she leaned against a tree and slides down to sit at the base of the tree.

Pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them, she dropped her head on her knees and lets out a loud sigh. The frustration that radiated through her was starting to make her visibly shake. Biting her bottom lip, she lifted her head up and stared up at the tree tops with frustrated tears building up into her eyes.

Deeply breathing in and then out, Arla recollected herself and tried to calm herself down. Everyone, or rather, Clarke with the little posse that followed her knows that Bellamy was a stubborn bastard that wanted all the power to rule over their camp. What Arla doesn't understand is why did they take off their wristbands? She doesn't believe any of the bullshit that Bellamy was saying. Arla felt like there was something more that he was hiding from everyone.

Standing up from the spot, Arla coughed to clear her throat before turning back to head back to the dropship site. However, her eyes flicker down upon seeing a lot of bugs running off in the same direction and going underground.

"Why is that?" Arla whispered, following the bugs but then heard crackling behind her.

Turning around, Arla eyes widen upon seeing this wall of yellow fog coming towards her.

"Oh, shit." Arla shouted before turning around and begin sprinting back into the direction of the dropship site.

As she ran, she tried to not look back but cannot help it as sees that the wall of yellow fog was getting closer and closer to her. Turning back forwards, she pushed herself to run faster, but ended up tripping over something very hard.

Slamming to the ground, a gush of air escapes her lungs and she coughed out at the feeling. Turning over onto her back and pushing herself onto her hands, she saw that she tripped over some type of latch.

"A bunker." She whispered before crawling to it and pushing fall branches and dirt off of it.

Tugging the latch, Arla growls as it was slowly budging due to not being used for very long.

"Come on!" Arla angrily screamed, looking up to see the fog getting closer.

With anger and adrenaline fusing together throughout her body system, the latch creaks then turns making her to pull the heavy metal door up and she quickly goes down the ladder. She pulled the handle of the cover and begins to pull it down.

Once shut, she quickly descended down the ladder into darkness then dropped onto a hard concrete floor. Backing up, she moved until she hits a wall and she let her hands glide over the wall.

When the latch open back up, she went wide eyes as someone fallen in and the latch slammed shut behind them.

Kneeling down to the ground, Arla begins to scurry across the ground trying to find something to light the room up. She was not alone in this bunker and she sure as hell doesn't like be encased in darkness with something unknown.

Hitting something glass and metal, she runs the rest of her hands over it until she found a button. Deciding to push it in, not caring what the hell it might be, she flinches as it lights up to show that it is an old style lantern.

Picking it up by the handle, she held it up and whirled around to see who the other was in this bunker with her.

A startle scream could not help but erupt from her throat as she staggered back, tripping over a toy and falling backwards to hit her head off the corner of a table, knocking herself out.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here's another chapter!**

**Cliff hanger one too! **

**Please Review for future chapters!**

**Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter:** Marigold

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There was dim lighting as her eyes begin to crack open. A groan escaped from her as she felt the side of her head pulsing making her to reach up to touch something gooey. Bringing her hand back in front of her face, she saw this clear lotion feeling goo on her fingertips.

"What the…"

"You hit your head hard."

The deep male voice made her to sit up and begin to crawl backwards away from the large, muscular figure sitting at a small table that appeared to be in a small kitchen within the bunker.

There was candles lit around the bunker, lighting up most of the bunker in a dim light.

Looking around at the small bunker, there was a small kitchen with a table and two chairs. A half wall to separate what appears to be a sitting room yet a sleeping area as there is a large cot. Looking behind her, there was a bathroom.

Arla eyes shot back to the figure that she has seen earlier and has caused her to scream then fallen down.

The man stood up from the seat and he walked towards her, but stopped when she backed up into the wall and grabbed whatever was around her. Lifting it up before her, it was a toy car.

"Well that helps." She dryly said causing the man to snort in amusement, his blue eyes held the same emotion.

"You're a grounder."

"You are a sky person."

"Sky person? That's the name you gave us." Arla eyebrows raised.

"Fallen from the sky." He pointed up.

"Touché." She whispered, looking around for anything else to arm herself with but there was nothing. Her eyes went back to the man that has taken another step towards her, but stopped when she raises the toy car over her head.

With him pausing, Arla takes in this grounder.

First off, he was bulky with muscles and very tall, about six feet and one or two inches. Taller than her five feet and six inches. His attire was all dirty yet dark in color. Buckles here and there, it looks like a vest armor of some sort. Dark brown hair that appears to be pulled back from the top and then long hair going back. Braided and tangle up hair. Left side of his head was shaved while the right was slightly shaved, but there were braids pulled back along the side of the right side. A long thick bread that needed to be shave to go along with his gruff look. Light blue eyes staring right at her.

What really caught her eyes was not just his eyes, but the tattoos. Dark bluish in color. The one on the right side of his face appeared to be this swirl of some sort and two ends of the swirl go up underneath his right up and then over his right eye are two thick lines with a spear tipped shaped end. On the left side of his face is a smaller and lightly blue tribal tattoo.

If he trimmed the bread down, Arla could fully say that he is an attractive fellow.

As he came closer, Arla chucked the toy car at him making him to smack it out of the air. With him being slightly distracted, Arla went to run by him, but he wrapped his left arm around her waist causing her to scream out and struggle in his grasps.

Bringing her right arm back, she slammed her elbow into his ribs a few times until his grip loosen. When it did, she turned around to punch him, but he dodged her right fist and smack her arms down. He went to grab her again, but she hooked her left leg around the back of his right then she shoved him back causing him to trip over and stagger backwards.

Quickly, Arla runs for the ladder to make an escape, but those familiar powerful arms were quickly back around her waist making her to scream out in frustration and slight fear as she didn't know what this grounder will do to her.

Once pulled away from the ladder, Arla begins to claw his arms making him to hiss and then growl in annoyance. She slammed the heel of her right foot onto his right foot causing him to grunt then let go as she once again slammed her elbow into the same spot on his ribs from before.

The grounder begins to evade her punches before he lunged forwards to grab her around the mid-section causing her to let out another yell. Quickly, she brings up her knee and slams upper into his solar plexus causing him a grunt to escape him. Once again, she hooked her legs, both of them this time with his again and she pushed forwards to bring them both down.

Arla went to get up, but he wrapped his bulky arms around her then he wrapped his legs around hers too in order to keep her from attacking him any further.

"Let me go, dammit!"

"You can fight, I give you that." He lowly growled before rolling them over so he was on top of her and preventing her from escaping him anymore.

As he pulled his arms away from her, he sat back on her waist to which Arla tried to reach up to slap him, but he bent back and he dodged her slaps. Instead of going for his face, Arla begins to throw punches into his broad chest and then try to punch him in the groin, but he quickly caught her wrist before she could land that painful punch.

Both were panting while staring at one another with narrow eyes.

Arla lets out a long exhale before going limp causing the man to slowly let her go and watch her just lie back, staring at the bunker ceiling before looking at him.

"I'm Arla." Arla told him, deciding to be on a good side rather than his bad. Plus, she was trapped down here with him, might as well learn about this grounder.

"Nyko."

"Unique name, Nyko. Nyko." Arla said his name to herself, letting it roll around on her tongue before nodding her head.

"Are you done attacking?" He lowly asked.

Only giving him a slight nod, Nyko nodded back before standing up from her and then reaching down, grabbing her forearms and easily lifting her up to stand before him. How easily he lifted her back onto her feet, Arla knew that he could definitely kick her ass when it comes to strength.

As Arla stood before him, she felt the gooey feeling on her head making her to reach out to touch her injury to see what the stuff on her head was, but Nyko grabbed her right wrist from doing so, shaking his head.

"What is it you put on me?"

"A poultice on it to close up the wound."

Upon Nyko informed her about using a poultice to help with her wound, her thoughts went onto Jasper. If it had been Nyko here that had helped Jasper stab wound; thus, if so, then Arla can ask Nyko to help her find that antibiotic to help Jasper and also, to have some for future medical needs.

"Was it you that put that on one of our people earlier? He had been stabbed by a spear."

"No. You are the first sky person I have ran into." Nyko told her, head tilting a bit with curiosity upon wondering who helped one of her people.

"Then who the hell was it?" She mumbled, turning away from him and she walked over to the table that was in the small bunker kitchen.

Nyko followed after her and he stood by the table with his arms crossed over his chest, watching as Arla placed her hands on the table, tapping her fingertips on its surface before she was looking back at him.

"What was that yellow fog about?"

"Acidic fog. Burns the skin, causes other horrible, and painful symptoms all over the body, inside and out. It leads to automatic death most of the time." Nyko explained to her.

"Good to know. Now, how did you get caught around here? I mean, unless you live around here?"

"I was searching the land for certain herbs."

"Are you a doctor for your people?" Arla asked, peaked with interest that he appeared to catch.

"Now, I am. The healer of our village."

"What happen to the original one?"

Nyko only stared at her making her to right stare back at him, opening her mouth to ask him to tell her what has happen, but then realization struck her. Arla's eyes widen and she open her mouth then shuts it as she was trying to figure out what to say.

"When we had landed, did we…"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

Staring at sincere apologetic face, Nyko shook his head and lets out a sigh, knowing it really wasn't her fault. Pulling out the chair, he slowly sat down and he clasped his hands on top of the table.

Arla stared at him with soften eyes as couldn't believe that she was having a conversation with a grounder, who everyone saw as the enemy and horrible, or maybe this grounder isn't so bad.

"Did you happen to know if anyone attack one of our sky people? He got a spear to the chest."

"Yes. Your people were crossing the boundaries." Nyko told her.

"Well, now I know that. Now, how long does this fog usually last?"

"Hours sometimes days."

"Oh great. Awesome." Arla dryly said, slouching in the chair while he eyes her with raised eyebrows.

If she was to stay down here with him, she will find out answers about grounders and the land that they were living in. She wanted facts to be prepare for the future.

"Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Why should I? You helped me with my head and you are talking to me. You could have most likely killed me earlier, but didn't. In my book, you're not a bad person, Nyko." Arla lowly explained, picking at the ends of her shirt before looking up at him through her dark eyelashes.

"Hmp, you are better than all the other sky people. Different."

"I don't blame you about hating the others, especially the rebellious jackass who think he is friggin' king." Arla muttered the last part, but Nyko heard her as he couldn't help but snort in amusement at her comment. He found her entertaining.

"You talk much."

"You talk too little…interesting how English is still happening even after all these years." Arla snapped and then said the last part in a gentle tone causing Nyko to shake his head then nod about the English language part.

"I'm annoying you, aren't I?"

"Learning about you."

"That is true. Plus, I find it passing time."

He only nods instead of replying.

Arla tapped her fingers on the table top before she stood up and begins to search around the bunker, looking through boxes.

Nyko turned his head, watching as Arla was digging through containers and holding up various items that whoever lived in this bunker had. He took notice that she smell like peppermint making him to wonder if she found some or did she just naturally smell like that.

"Peppermint."

"Hmm?" Arla poked her head up while pulling out pants out of the box before tucking it back in as it was men pants.

"You smell like peppermint."

"Oh, yeah, um, I found some and begin to cut some. Going to use it in boil water as a sort of tea or try to extract oil from it."

"You're a healer?" Nyko was on his feet in an instant with this newfound look of interest that was taking over his whole posture making Arla to pause in her digging through boxes to look at him.

"I guess you can say that. I was put on the dropship because I had been learning from late cousin wife about medical procedures and such. Her daughter, who is my little cousin, Clarke also knows some medical things, but I guess you can say I was the one that supposed to be the future medical officer on the Ark." Arla explained to him while pulling out a wooden box from the containers and walked by Nyko to set it on the table.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Arla asked, pausing in opening up the craved wooden box to stare at Nyko with raised eyebrows.

"You have knowledge of medical backgrounds that we could need."

"Umm." Arla stood up straight, holding out her hands as she stared at Nyko with an unsure expression upon him getting a bit worked up.

"When this fog clears, you're not kidnapping me."

"And if I do?"

"I'll put up a damn fight and you know that." Arla pointed at him, glaring him down before she dropped herself in the seat at the table and she opened up the wooden box.

Inside the wooden box, Arla plucked out photographs. Seeing it had been a father and son living here. Setting the photos back in the box, she slowly shuts the lid back on top of it and stared at her hands resting on it.

Looking at her then at the box then back at her, Nyko eyed her closely as he saw her let out a heavy breath and shake her head. She picked the wooden box up and she sets it on the counter of the kitchen. The photographs of those that lived here, Nyko knew it must've hit something in her to make her become emotionless and quiet.

Standing up from the table, she walked over into the sitting room and dropped herself down on the couch. She lets out another sigh and dropped her head back to stare at the bunker ceiling. Her eyes fluttering shut as she felt tire all of a sudden, but she forced her eyes back open, not wanting to sleep just yet.

"Sleep."

Her eyes flutter shut and she found exhaustion overcoming her.

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Snapping awake, Arla sat up and realized that she was still in the bunker. Her eyes looking around to see that Nyko isn't around.

The sound of plop made her look down to see that a blanket was on the ground now making Arla to realize that Nyko must've put a blanket over her while she had been sleeping.

Picking up the blanket, Arla folded it up and sets it on the couch before she walked around the bunker to make sure that Nyko wasn't hiding somewhere. Shaking her head as he wasn't around, she begins to believe that the yellow acidic fog is now gone.

"Could of said a goodb—"Arla stops herself from finishing the sentence when she saw a flower on the middle of the table.

Walking forwards and reaching out, Arla picked up the flower and smiles as she sees it is a pot marigold flower. The yellowish gold color flower shines up at her with a hint of dew on it.

"He must've just left if it is still moist." Arla whispered, holding the marigold close and walking towards the ladder to begin climbing up it.

Opening the latch, she pushed the bunker gate open and peeks around to see no more yellow fog. A grin comes onto her face and she climbed the rest of the way out of the bunker and back onto the forest ground. Turning around, Arla shut the bunker top and she put some leaves and branches over it.

"It'll be my…and Nyko secret." Arla whispered with a smirk before turning around, clenching the marigold close to her chest as she walked back to the dropship site.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here's another chapter!**

**Arla has met a grounder and thankfully it was a good one.**

**Also, a side note, the story is like a spoiler to the show, so if you haven't watch all of season one of **_**The 100 **_**take cautious when reading this story cause it will have spoilers. **

**Another side note; sorry for any Bellamy fans and such. He really irks me through most of season one. Arla is the type that if she is pushed enough, she will snapped and express how she feels. Arla is an outgoing young woman.**

**Anyways, enough of my rambling and such. **

**More Nyko ahead! I feel like there isn't much background on the grounders, but I sort of want to keep it within the context of the grounders that are being shown on the show. **

**Please Review for future chapters!**

**Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter: **What Are We Becoming? Part 1

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Upon arrival, Arla could see that the camp appear to be moping around making her to look around to figure out why. Walls were still be built making Arla to believe that Bellamy actually taken her advice to make stronger and taller walls around their site.

"Arla!"

Arla looked up to see Clarke running towards her then tackle her into a hug making Arla to awkwardly hug her little cousin back, wondering why she was desperately holding on her.

"What is going on? I can literally feel the sadness in the air…is Jasper alright?"

"We gave Jasper the medicine early this morning…its Wells." Clarke lowly said causing Arla to push Clarke back and stare into Clarke's tear-filled eyes.

Seeing how others were pausing to look upon the scene of the Griffin cousins, Arla grabbed Clarke hand and dragged her away from everyone's eyes. Once they were behind the dropship, Clarke begins to break down causing Arla to hug her again, shushing her gently in a calming manner.

"What happen, Clarke?"

"Wells was found dead this morning. Stabbed outside the walls." Clarke croaked out, a few tears streaking down her face.

"Who did it?"

"Everyone is saying grounders did it."

Arla couldn't believe that as she just spent the past day with a grounder, who was a nice individual. Shaking her head, Arla grabbed Clarke by the shoulders and stared down at her cousin with a serious look.

"We do not know that until it is proven in some way."

"That not all."

"What is it?"

"Wells didn't tell on our fathers, Arla. It was my mom. She had told on our fathers because she didn't want the rest of the Ark to know what our fathers wanted them to know. Wells let me hate him so I don't hate my mom."

Arla shuts her eyes, frowning at the news. Then thinking about Wells and how he let Clarke hate him and how he kept apologizing to Arla about the situation. All this time, Wells had been protecting them, mostly Clarke since she always expressed how much she hated, but also, they had been best friends.

"Clarke, you know that he did that because you were his best friend, but also, his crush for a long time." Arla softly explained making Clarke to nod her head as she knew that Wells liked her more than a best friend.

"I feel so horrible."

"If he let you hated him for all these years, I don't think he wants you to feel horrible now." Arla pulled Clarke back into a hug, letting Clarke to let it all out before they show their faces to everyone again.

"Just get it all out now, Clarke. Just let it all out."

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…**..The Next Day: …..**

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The site was busy making the walls stronger, tunnels to get to one point of the wall to another point and some tunnels leading out to a scout point on the outer parts. Everyone was working while Arla was tying up the ends of the red seaweed that had worked as an antibiotic to help Jasper fully recover.

She has been bagging up most of the herbs that she had found thus far. But also, today, she has beginning to make medicine too.

"Hey, Arla?"

Turning around, Arla grins upon seeing Octavia and a better Jasper standing there.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Want to come with Jasper and I to the outer walls." Octavia said, grinning before making eyes motions to Jasper, who appeared to be nervous about leaving the walls of their dropship site.

"Sure." Arla slowly said, finishing up with cleaning her medical making supplies and pack it back up. She slid her backpack on, not trusting anyone in this camp to be around it because she believed that some will steal medicine for certain needs.

Octavia and Arla walk a bit ahead of Jasper as they leave the dropship and begin to dodge people that were bustling around, working.

"I'm trying to get him to not be scared of leaving the walls." Octavia lowly whispered to Arla making the young adult to nod her head.

They came to a stop at an opening in the wall and turn to the fidgeting Jasper. The poor teenager was nervously looking around and not wanting to leave the walls of the dropship site. His right hand unconsciously touching his chest where his injury is located.

"Look, we're already there." Octavia walked forwards, grabbing Jasper's left hand and leading him to the opening.

"Just a few steps, okay?" Octavia lets go of Jasper hand as he came to a stop just slightly out of the walls and he was already looking around with a frighten look.

Arla stood by a tree, smirking as Octavia trying to be a helpful friend and trying to make Jasper to not be afraid of the wilderness anymore.

"One foot in front of the other." Octavia said, walking further out before turning around to see that Jasper isn't following, but frozen in fear in his spot.

"You got it, Jasper." Arla softly said, crossing her arms over her chests with a small smile.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Octavia asked.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I'm good." Jasper quickly said, trying to make his voice sound strong, but it did not match his scared posture.

"Jasper, it's been a week, okay? You've been given a second chance. You gotta use it…AHH!" Octavia is grabbed behind a bush making Arla to run forwards while resting her hand on the gun in its holster on her right leg.

"Octavia…Octavia, are you okay?" Jasper runs over behind Arla, but they both stop upon seeing one of the teenagers from camp has been hiding behind a stump and thought it would've been funny to scare Jasper about leaving the walls.

"Hey, jerk. Get the hell out of here." Octavia gets out from the teens grip and shoved him back while Arla took her hand off the gun, glad she didn't have to pull it out.

"You're such a jackass, jackass." Arla growled before whirling around to see how visibly shaken up Jasper is now.

"Jasper, come on. There's nothing to be afraid of." Octavia tried to reason with him, but he kept shakily walking away to head back into the walls, but ended up tripping over a tree root.

Both Octavia and Arla bent down to help him back up, but when Jasper looked up from his face plant and freezes while staring ahead, Octavia and Arla do the same. Their eyes widen upon seeing a metal sharp object that appears to be a knife, but it was the two severe fingers that had been from Wells that caught their attention.

"What the hell?" Arla whispered, shaking her head.

Octavia pulled a rag that she had in her pocket out and walked forwards, shakily picking the things up with the rag and wrapping it up. She turned to see Arla helping Jasper up and looping her arm through his to keep him steady.

"We have to show this to my brother."

"Yeah. I believe we just found what had murder Wells." Arla whispered, letting Octavia to lead as they reenter the walls and they headed straight to Bellamy's tent.

Upon entering, Bellamy was standing over a table where he seemed to be in a deep thought, but looked up upon seeing Arla, Octavia and Jasper enter. It was their disturbed faces that got a flash of concern to come over Bellamy's face.

"What's the matter?"

Setting down the rag, Octavia open it up to show the handmade knife with the two severe fingers making Bellamy to go wide eyes.

"Get Clarke in here. She needs to see this too." Arla told Bellamy, who simply nods and left the tent.

"I don't think that grounders killed Wells." Arla lowly said making Octavia and Jasper to turn towards her and look at her with raised eyebrows. Arla pulled away from Jasper and she picked up the handmade metal knife, seeing that it is a piece from their dropship.

"I believe it is—"She stop talking upon Bellamy arriving with Clarke.

Arla hand the handmade knife to Clarke, who turn it over and over in her hand, taking in how it was made and seeing that this had been the murder tool to kill her best friend, Wells.

"This knife was made of metal from the dropship." Clarke instantly said causing Jasper and Octavia to look at Arla, who had been right.

"What do you mean?" Jasper turns his attention back on Clarke, wanting to hear what she has to say as it most likely was what Arla wanted to say earlier, but stopped doing so when Bellamy and Clarke had enter the tent.

"Who else knows about this?" Bellamy asked towards Octavia, Arla and Jasper as they are the ones that found all of this.

"No one. We brought it straight here." Octavia answered, resting her hands on the table and leaning on it.

"Clarke?" Jasper lowly said her name, fear lacing in his eyes as he wanted to know what Clarke was thinking about towards this handmade knife.

"It means grounders didn't kill Wells. It was one of us."

"So, there's a murderer in the camp?" Jasper meekly questioned.

"There's more than one murderer in this camp. This isn't news. We need to keep quiet." Bellamy said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking around the tent.

Clarke moved towards the opening, but Bellamy stepped before her making her to sharply stare at him with avenge in her eyes. Arla knew that Clarke was on a revenge path as whoever had this knife had killed her best friend.

"Get out of my way, Bellamy." Clarke demanded.

"Be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved. The walls, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the grounders killed Wells is good for us." Bellamy tried to explained, but Clarke shakes her head.

"Oh, good for you, you mean. What? Keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it. But it's good for all of us. Fear of the grounders is building that wall. And beside what are you gonna do? Just walk out there and ask the killer to step forward? You don't even know whose knife that is." Bellamy calmly explained.

"Oh, really?" Clarke smugly said, lifting the handmade knife up to show the inside of the knife curved handle to show initials painted on it.

"J.M. John Murphy. The people have a right to know." Clarke firmly stated before storming right out of the tent.

"Both of you are right in a way, but she is right in a moral sense. We cannot have a killer on our hands, murdering our own. It's unjust and we need justice, or rather, laws instead of making shit up along the way." Arla pointed out before leaving the tent too, feeling the others quickly to follow what was about to go down in the center of their camp.

There was Clarke storming up to Murphy and slamming her hands against his chest making the confused Murphy to stagger backwards.

"You son of a bitch!"

"Whoa, what's your problem?" Murphy asked.

"Recognize this?" Clarke held up the handmade knife.

There was many teens around watching the scene take place and soon others begin to look over, wondering what everyone was watching.

Arla, Octavia, Jasper and Bellamy stand alongside each other, watching as Clarke confronted Murphy about the handmade knife and also, expressing what this knife means.

"It's my knife. Where's you find it?" Murphy went to reach up to take it back from Clarke, but she pulled it away as she sharply stared him down.

"Where you dropped it after you killed Wells."

That finally made everyone to look onto the scene, mumbling to each other about the shocking new discovery. They begin to abandon their working stations to come make a circle around Clarke and Murphy, listening intently of the whole exchange.

"Where I what? The grounders killed Wells, not me." Murphy asked, appearing flabbergasted that she is blaming him for killing Wells.

"I know what you did, and you're gonna pay for it."

"Really? Bellamy, you really believe this crap?" Murphy looked away from Clarke to look at Bellamy standing behind Clarke with his arms crossed over his chest and his mouth shut tight, letting Clarke handle this.

"You threated to kill him. We all heard you. You hated Wells." Clarke exclaimed.

"Plenty of people hated Wells. His father was the chancellor that locked us up." Murphy expressed this comment to everyone more than Clarke, knowing that he doesn't need the whole camp to hate him. But at the moment, nothing was looking good for him, thus far.

"Yeah, but you're the only one who got in a knife fight with him." Clarke's voice raised another octave as her shouting was getting stronger and echoing across the camp for all to hear.

"Yeah, I didn't kill him then, either."

"Tried to kill Jasper too." Octavia blurted out.

"What?" Jasper squeaked out, not knowing about that part and neither did the rest of the camp, including Arla.

"Come on, this is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone." Murphy stated, walking away from Clarke, but stop in his tracks as no one was moving from their spots of circling around the scene.

"Come again?" Bellamy questioned.

"Bellamy, look I'm telling you man. I didn't do this." Murphy step up closer to Bellamy to lowly tell him this.

"They found his fingers on the ground with your knife." Bellamy replied causing gasps and more whispers to spread around the group of teenagers.

"Is this the kind of society that we want? You say there should be no rules. Does that mean that we can kill each other without—without punishment?" Clarke stated.

"I already told you. I didn't kill anyone."

"I say we float him." Someone shouted.

"Yeah." Many others agreed.

"That's not what I am saying." Clarke turn around and said.

"Why not? He deserves to float. It's justice."

"Revenge isn't justice."

"What were you saying about justice?" Bellamy lowly asked Arla, who shot him a glare before looking forwards as she saw how everyone was moving in closer and getting antsy about the whole thing.

"It's justice. Float him!"

"Float him!" Everyone begin chanting and causing Murphy to try to run at the one that started the chanting rave. However, someone tripped Murphy and that caused everyone to swarm on it to get a piece of Murphy with kicks and punches.

"Get off of him." Clarke voice was heard through the loud yelling, but then was drown out as everyone begins shouting louder.

Soon the group was carrying Murphy outside the walls and into the woods where they stop at a high tree and threw a wire rope over a strong branch.

"You can't do this!" Clarke shouted, trying to stop the group but was shoved away.

They strung Murphy up with the rope around his neck and pulled him up, but made sure to put something underneath his feet to keep him from not hanging himself. All there needs to happen is to kick that support away and Murphy will be hung.

"Bellamy, you should do this. Bel-La-My!" The kid from before begins a chant that everyone begins to chant Bellamy's name.

"I saw you in the woods with Adam, I know that you're not a killer. Bellamy, don't do this. Don't…" Clarke tried to reason with Bellamy as the chanting of his name got louder.

With all the chanting of his name and needing to keep the image up that he was the leader of their camp and the tough guy, Bellamy kicked the support stand from underneath Murphy causing Murphy to hang and struggle as he hung there.

"No, Bellamy, no!" Clarke smacked him against the chest, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"This is on you, princess. You should've kept your mouth shut." Bellamy shoved Clarke back, shouted this towards her.

Arla stood back, looking at it then around at the rest of the teens wondering what the hell happen to them. What are they becoming?

"What the hell are you doing? Cut him down! Charlotte, get out of here now! Cut him down." Finn appeared out of nowhere while shoving the little girl, the youngest one in the group away.

Quickly, Arla's eyes narrow upon Finn and this little girl, Charlotte and wondering why he was trying to protect the little girl. Finn turned to cut the rope, but he is stopped and held up at knife's point.

"Stop! Okay! Murphy didn't kill Wells!" Charlotte shouted causing all of them to stop instantly and turn to the little girl with confusion all across their faces.

"I did." Charlotte admitted.

"Oh, my god." Clarke said, grabbing the handmade axe off of Bellamy's belt and turn to cut Murphy down, but Arla beat her to it with her hunting knife.

Quickly, Arla sheathed her knife back into her boot and running over to Murphy, who was groaning and coughing. Finn was pulling the rope off from around Murphy's neck making Arla to check him over while pulling the cloth that has been put around his mouth.

"Bruises around the neck. Thankfully nothing broke or we would have an innocent person killed…somewhat innocent." Arla said, but moves back as Murphy stood up and has this raging glint in his eyes towards the little girl causing Finn to shout at Clarke to get Charlotte away from here.

"This is one big friggin' mess." Arla whispered as she watched her cousin, Finn and Bellamy rush Charlotte away from the raging Murphy and his posse.

Arla stood up, watching as everyone runs back towards the walls and she just stood back with her hands on her hips, still wondering what they were becoming.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**This is part one of this chapter. I decided to split it instead of putting everything in one.**

**Now, thank you for reading and please review (it's a motivated) for the future chapter!**

**Thank You! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter:** What Are We Becoming? Part 2

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…**.. Continuing: …..**

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After questioning about the group within her mind, Arla runs back to the camp and she saw that everyone was crowding around Bellamy tent with Murphy in front of everyone.

"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!" Murphy shouted, pacing in his spot.

Arla stood away from everyone, slightly hidden by bushes as she watched this whole thing take place. There was no way that Murphy is going to let this go, even if it was just a little girl, Murphy was an unbalance individual.

"Bring the girl out now!"

There is muttering inside Bellamy camp, almost sounding like an argument was going on.

"You want to build a society, princess? Let's build a society. Bring her out." Murphy shouted, staring down Finn as Finn open up the tent flat to look at them before ducking back within.

After a few seconds of Finn showing himself, Bellamy appeared out of the tent and slowly begins to walk forwards, but stop as Murphy walked the rest of the way up to Bellamy with a craze look.

"Well, well, well, looks who decided to join us."

"Dial it down and back off." Bellamy firmly stated.

"Or what? What are you gonna do about me? Hang me?"

"I was just giving the people what they wanted." Bellamy admitted making Arla to slightly roll her eyes as she knew Bellamy did that a lot.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. Why don't we do that right now? So, who here wants to see the real murderer hung up? All in favor?" Murphy turn to face the group, raising his hand in the air to take in votes that agree with his thinking process.

There is murmuring around the group, not wanting to side with Murphy as no one likes Murphy and how he acted around the camp. Thus, the only ones that raised their hands were his buddies.

"I see. So, it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you want to let her walk? Cowards! All of you are cowards!" Murphy shouted at all of them.

"Hey, Murphy! Murphy. It's over." Bellamy step closer to Murphy, getting into his face to firmly state this.

"Whatever you say, boss." Murphy calmly said causing Bellamy to turn and begin to walk away. But, Murphy had other ideas and not letting this whole thing go. Instead, he reached down to grab a piece of wood and slam it across Bellamy's head, knocking him to the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" Octavia shouted while Jasper tried to hold her back.

"Hey!" Jasper shouted to Murphy, but Murphy decks him in the face causing him to go down allowing Octavia to run around them and fall to her knees beside her brother.

"Come on. Let's get the girl." Murphy waved his hand for his buddies to follow him and went right to Bellamy's tent, flipping it open then throwing it down.

"Charlotte! Charlotte, I know you can hear me! And when I find you, you are gonna pay!" Murphy shouted before running towards an opening in a wall with his buddies to begin the hunt.

Arla runs her hands over her face before she walked to an opening in the wall, but a hand grabbed her wrist making her to turn around to see a crying Octavia.

"Can you check Bell over?"

"Sure." Arla nodded, letting Octavia drag her over to Bellamy, who was groaning and rubbing the back of his head.

"Let me see."

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, sure you are." Arla muttered, checking the back of his head and seeing that there was no blood, only a nice bump.

"There's no blood, only a huge bump. Got you good." Arla stood up and she stepped back as Octavia helped Bellamy off of the ground.

Arla turn away and she went back to walking to the opening, to leave this camp and to explore around. Exploring calms her mind as she couldn't stay around a camp where everyone would instantly turn on each other with just a few words. She was admitting of hating the ways her own people were.

And so, Arla walked through the forest and into the direction of where the bunker was that she had found two days ago. Scanning the ground, she paused as she saw the familiar latch and she pulled it open then enters, shutting it shut behind her.

Grabbing the lantern by the ladder, she turned it on and she begin walking towards the table in the small kitchen. She comes to a stop upon seeing another marigold on the table making a small smile to come onto her lips.

"You like?"

A scream escapes her and she swings the lantern behind her, but she missed whoever it was. Another light turned on to show Nyko making her to let out a relief sigh before catching him off guard by smacking her left hand off his chest.

"My god, Nyko, why don't you scare me some more!?" Arla exclaimed, turning away from him to set the lantern on the table while picking up the marigold with a small grin.

Nyko sets the other lantern across the room in the sitting area before he picked up another lantern to put it at the other end of the bunker. Now, the whole bunker was dimly lit for them.

"The shouts of you sky people has reached our ears."

"Sorry about that. Some craziness has been going on that I have to get away. I can't stand the way everyone is." Arla mumbled, resting her head in her left hand while she twirls the marigold by its stem in her right.

"You come here?"

"Yes. I'm thinking about moving here to get away from them. I can focus on the herbs without having to worry that one of the delinquent asshole would ruin it or steal it for their own needs. I'll be a medical help when needed to be though. But here, I can focus and not have a constant headache from them." Arla explained, looking away from the marigold to stare at Nyko, seeing that he was hanging on every word that she had said.

"Delinquent?"

"All of those teenagers were criminals back home in space. Broke the law and got locked up instead of floated, or in order words, executed because they are under eighteen. They sent a hundred down to see if Earth is livable again."

"And you?"

"I was sent down to be of medical help by my aunt. I'm not a criminal and I'm not exactly a teenager anymore." Arla explained to him, setting the marigold down and she begin to pick at her nails.

"What are your people like, Nyko?"

Nyko eyes her with his pale blue eyes before he looked away with his arms crossed over his chest.

"We are warriors that survived the harshness of what the forest brings us. There is many of us, but we have clans."

"What is your clan?" Arla sat up straight in the chair, highly interested in learning more about Nyko and the other grounders.

"The Woods clan."

"We are in your territory, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"We're so screwed." Arla mumbled, slouching in the seat and letting out a sigh.

…**..**

Nyko eyes scan over her before looking away and moving a bit on his feet before looking back at her, seeing that she was staring back at him with her bluish green eyes. She was his secret as he has been going into the forest to get herbs, but come by this bunker to see if she was around. At times, his clan leader, Indra, would have a group of them to go out and scout out the sky people.

He would watch Arla move around the sky people camp. Then he had been caught by a good friend of his that is like a brother, Lincoln.

For Lincoln, he lives on his own away from the clan's village and he has found the time to scout the sky people too. However, it appeared that Lincoln has taken interest in one of the girl's in the camp as he would only study her. Nyko knew that Lincoln will not tell anyone about Arla since Nyko knows Lincoln wanted the girl he has been studying too.

The thought of taking Arla back to the village, Nyko could simply state that she will be useful for medical needs. Even though, Nyko came to realization after meeting Arla that she was one stubborn yet determine young woman. He found her interesting and pleasant to be around.

"Your people will be in danger."

"Because of your people getting sick and tire of our antics…I figure." Arla muttered, running her hands on her face before dropping them onto the table.

Seeing how angry yet upset she was becoming, Nyko slowly stepped towards her and he pulled out the chair near her making her eyes to flicker up at him. Slowly, Nyko sat himself down and he stared at her with compassionate expression.

"Not you."

Her eyes instantly widen upon his reply.

"What do you mean, not me?" Arla slowly asked.

Nyko stared into her blueish green eyes that held so much curiosity for his comment. He knew that if his clan was to ever move in on the sky people, he would go after her and get her out of there. She was valuable in medical sense, but she was starting to become someone important too. Someone to look forwards too and someone new, who listens and has decent conversations with him.

"You're important." Nyko found himself admitting to her.

"In what way?"

"Many." Nyko replied, not wanting to go into detail about why he found her so intriguing and refreshing to have around.

…**..**

Arla stared at Nyko with raised eyebrows before she slowly nodded her head. She knew that healers were scarce to his people, but she could see in his eyes that there was something more that he wished not for her to know.

"Short answers. I feel like that is all I'm ever going to get out of you."

"Not always." Nyko replied, hiding his amusement as she narrow her eyes at him for giving her yet another short answer.

"How do you know much about plants?" Nyko asked her as he was curious about her medical background when it comes to herbs.

"When we came down from space, I had made sure to pack old medical herb usage book just in case. Thankfully I did so." Arla told him while grabbing her backpack and begin to dig through it to find the said books.

Pulling out the one that she mostly used for exploring the woods and searching for herbs, Arla held it out to Nyko, who slowly accepted the book from her. He slowly opened the book and he started flipping through, his eyes widening by the seconds at the information before his eyes.

"Helpful?"

"More than you know." Nyko lowly replied, his eyes trained on the book within his hands and flipping through pages after pages.

A small smile comes onto Arla lips as she couldn't help but study how Nyko became greatly happy and intrigue over this book. Arla continued to watch the excited Nyko flip through the book before he stopped reading through it to look up at her, realizing that she has been studying him.

"This is very helpful. Would you allow me to use it?"

"Go ahead as long as you return it safe and sound to me." Arla told him.

"Of course." Nyko nodded, glancing down at the book within his hands before looking back at her, feeling like he needed to give something to her.

Setting the book down on the table, Nyko reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace with a single sharp canine tooth hanging off it. He had made it when he was younger. Pulling it off, he held it out to her.

"No, no, I cannot accept that, Nyko."

"Why not?"

"Because it is yours." Arla told him.

"And this book is yours. You hold onto the necklace while I hold onto the book. We will know that the other will return our things to each other because we have each other things." Nyko explained to her.

Realizing the exchange, Arla gives him a small grin before she reached out for the necklace. Accepting the necklace, Arla slipped it on over her head and she looked down at the canine tooth resting against her chest. Gently caressing the tooth, Arla didn't realize that Nyko was eyeing her with a grin as he felt happy to see that she was happy with the small gift.

Standing up from the table, Nyko grabbed the book and he started walking towards the ladder. However, he paused when he hears Arla's chair move back and then her footsteps coming up behind him.

Turning to face her, Nyko found himself looking down into her pale blueish green eyes that seem to have this extra twinkle in them. Her right hand clenching the canine tooth that was hanging off the leather rope.

"Be safe on your journey back, Nyko."

"You too. Will you be here more constantly?"

"Probably. With the way everyone been in camp and I cannot tolerate some, I will most likely be here. Or maybe soon I will be living here." Arla informed him, shrugging her shoulders and glancing slightly away from him before looking back up into his ocean blue eyes.

They stay silent for a few seconds before Nyko looked away as he knew that if he doesn't look away, he might do something that he couldn't control, or rather, will not stop. Turning to the ladder, Nyko grabbed onto the first bar, but stopped upon one of Arla hand's landing on his forearm.

Before Nyko can turn to face her, he felt the warm and softness of her lips against his left cheek before it was gone within a second.

"Thanks Nyko and see you later."

Looking at her now, Nyko stared at her and see that her cheeks appear slightly redder. Nyko felt his face heating up too, but he was slightly glad that he has a beard to hide most of his fluster state away.

"Thank you, Arla and see you soon." Nyko lowly replied before climbing up the ladder.

Arla stood back and she looked up as Nyko opened up the hatch, he looked down at her one last time holding her eyes for a while before he disappeared and the hatch shuts behind him.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**It has been a while hasn't it.**

**Anyways, here's another chapter! Please keep on reviewing for future chapters.**

**Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter:** Own Place

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Clearing out the bunker was a project.

Arla had found a closet where she put all the boxes of the previous owners neatly on top of one another and she slid the door shut. With all that out of the way, she began to clean around the bunker and made it her own.

When she had gone to the camp earlier this morning, she noted that Clarke wasn't around; thus, Arla gather up her things and left. She did run across Octavia to which the teenager asked where she was going with her stuff. Arla had simply stated that she had found a new home out in the woods and will be there then she left, not waiting for a reply.

The hatch to the bunker was slightly open to let some fresh air into the bunker to get rid of the stale air that has been trapped within it for a while.

While Arla was hanging up tied herbs upside down on a shelf, she heard a familiar horn echoing in the distance. Quickly, Arla paused in her work and she ran to the ladder. Climbing up it, she pushed the hatch open to see that it was nighttime.

"Wow, I must've really been busy." She whispered before pushing the thick tree branch away that had been keeping the hatch propped open.

Grabbing the handles, she pulled the hatch down and went to lock it when there was pounding on it. Arla jumped at the sound but stared at the hatch, wondering what or who it was on the other side of the hatch.

"It's me."

"Nyko." Arla whispered, quickly pushing it back open.

She slid down the ladder as Nyko came in, shutting and locking the hatch above him then he descended down the ladder.

"I heard the horn. That acidic fog is coming, right?"

"Yes." Nyko nodded, pulling a pack off his body and he moved toward the kitchen area.

"I see that you have been cleaning up the place." Nyko said as he began to unravel whatever he had packed up in the worn down brown pack.

"Yes, I have."

Moving over to him, her eyes lit up as he pulled out vegetables and bread from inside the pack.

"I brought food."

"Were you heading in this direction?"

"Yes. I wanted to see if you kept your word about moving in here."

"Yes, I did." Arla lowly told him, eyeing him through her dark eyelashes before she turned her attention to the food that he brought.

"Do you recognize any of this?"

"Of course I do. But we never had the luxury of having it all the time, or rather, have it prepared to be delicious. Food was becoming very scarce on the Ark." Arla informed him, the last part of her sentence was almost a whisper.

A slight frown came onto Nyko's lips at the thought of Arla having little food. He turned to eye the vegetables that he brought which was broccoli, carrots, and potatoes. There was also a loaf of bread that was freshly baked by one of the people back in his clan.

"Let me prepare this."

"By making what?" She asked him as she sat herself down at one of the chairs at the small kitchen table and watched him go to the stove.

"Whoever has lived here was smart."

"Why so?"

"The stove is run by electricity. They must have a solar plates outside somewhere to generate energy to make objects in this bunker function."

"But they don't put lights?"

"The lanterns are solar power." He pointed out making her to nod her head as she sat back in the seat once again to watch him cook at the stove.

"I suppose that you use fire rather than stoves."

"Yes. But with reading many books of what Earth was like before, I have gain knowledge of how to work a stove."

"You know, this is probably the most I have heard you spoken." Arla pointed out with amusement.

Nyko glanced back over his right shoulder at her with a small smirk then turned his attention to the task in front of him.

Arla watched him cut up the vegetables then put them into a pan, cooking them until they were soften. He looked around to put the food into to which Arla stood up and moved to one of the cabinets where she found some plates earlier.

"Here." She handed him two plates where he placed them on the counter and he split the cooked vegetables up into even proportions. He turned back to the stove to turn it off once he had everything all set and finished.

Taking the plates, she set them on the table before going to a section of the counters and open up a draw to see forks. Pulling two out, she used a container of water to clean them off. She brought the clean forks to the table where Nyko was finishing up with slicing the loaf of bread in half.

They sat at the table eating the cooked vegetables and bread in silence for a good couple of minutes. Arla was finishing up chewing what she had in her mouth and she looked up to make eye contact with Nyko.

"How is the book?"

"I brought it back. I wrote what herbs were familiar around the area and what there functions and side effects are." Nyko informed her as he reached into his pack that he rested on the chair that he sat in and he pulled out the book.

Arla reached up to her neck where his necklace was hidden underneath her shirt. Though she ended up pausing when Nyko reached out with his right hand and grabbed her wrist in one of his large hands. Her greenish blue eyes shot up to stare directly at him with raised eyebrows and her eyes held curiosity for his action of stopping her.

"Keep it."

"But—"

"No. Keep it." He cut her off with a firm tone, leaving no room for argument.

"Okay." Arla replied, letting go of the necklace and she went back to finished up the cooked vegetables and bread on her plate.

After that, she clean their plates and put them back into the cabinets while Nyko roamed around the bunker. He eyed the herbs that hung upside down to dry out. He glanced at her in the corner of his eyes, watching as she set the now clean plates and forks back into the cabinets.

His eyes kept flickering over her and he wonder if she found him intriguing like he found her. Or rather, was she attracted to him like he found himself drawn and attracted to her?

"When this clears up, the acidic fog, we should go herb hunting together." Arla told him.

"Herb hunting?" Nyko slowly said with raised eyebrows.

"Um, does that sound pathetic?" Arla sheepishly smiled causing Nyko to shake his head as he turned his body toward her as she walked over to stand before him.

"No, not at all."

"Good. Two sets of eyes that have knowledge on medical herbs would make searching quicker." Arla clapped her hands together with a smile.

The smile that graced her lips caused Nyko to have a small grin to cast upon his lips as he felt this sense of happiness sweep over him upon seeing her happiness over the small favor she requested of him.

…**..**

…**.. A Couple Hours Later: …..**

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Nyko had to admit, it was quicker when there was two sets of eyes with the wide knowledge of medical herbs.

Hearing rustling behind him, Nyko turned to watch Arla appear out of a bush and she was holding a bundle of peppermint in her hand. She gave him a smile and walked up to him where she handed him the peppermint for him to put it into his bag that contained other herbs.

"The sun is setting." Nyko said as she stared up through the tree tops to see the sky dimming and taking on an orange yellow hue.

"I assume that you have to be getting back soon." Arla stood in front of him, her arms crossing over her chest and she leaned heavily on her left foot.

"Yes. My people will start to wonder where I had gone." Nyko said as he adjusted his pack onto his back where herbs that Arla and him had gathered.

Nodding, Arla stood there as she stared at Nyko, who was staring back at her. It was an awkward vibe that seem to surround them. Until a bush started to shake to the side of them.

Nyko immediately put himself in front of Arla with his right hand behind him to keep her at bay behind him. Arla stepped closer to Nyko, pressing her hands against his back and peeking around him to stare at the moving bush.

When a tall, muscular man stepped out from the bushes with clothes that were put together similar to Nyko, Arla realized this was another Grounder. But at the sight of her, Arla didn't want Nyko to get in trouble for hanging around a sky person.

"Lincoln." Nyko said, his body relaxing as he had been slightly in a crouch defensive position to protect Arla and himself.

"Is that her, Nyko?" The grounder known as Lincoln stepped closer and tried to peek around Nyko to see Arla.

Arla slowly slid her hands off of Nyko's back to stand to the side of him and show herself to this Lincoln grounder. The sight of Lincoln, Arla was wondering if all grounders looked so powerful in structure. For Lincoln was muscular underneath his put together leather and fur type outfit.

"Yes." Nyko answered.

Glancing between the two male grounders, Arla had a feeling that these two discussed about her and how Nyko hung around her. With the fact that Lincoln wasn't attacking her, Arla really began to believe that Nyko and Lincoln had talked with one another about her. That she wasn't to be harm under Nyko's command.

"I am Lincoln." Lincoln nodded his head to her.

"Arla." Arla gave a small bow of her head to him with a small grin.

"I must be getting back." Nyko said after a few seconds in silence between the three of them.

With a nod, Lincoln disappeared back through the bushes, leaving Arla and Nyko standing face to face with one another again.

"Well, he's doesn't stick around for long, does he?"

A small grin came onto Nyko's lips and he gave a small shake of his head.

"If he doesn't know you as much, he studies you from afar."

"Oh that's comforting." Arla dryly told him, staring around her surroundings and wondering how long Lincoln been watching not only her, but everyone else.

There was no doubt on her mind that the grounders were spying on the group of teenagers sent down to Earth from space. Sky people were trespassing on their land, therefore, studying on the newcomers.

"Are you returning back to the bunker?"

"Yes. Since I will be staying there for now on." Arla told him, her eyes came back to settle onto him.

"Till tomorrow or the day we see each other again." Nyko lowly told her, his blue eyes flickering around her face then his eyes made contact with hers.

With a nod from Nyko and a small grin from Arla, they went about their separate ways. It wasn't the way that Arla wanted to go separate ways for the day. The last time Nyko left, she took a bold move of kissing him on the cheek.

Whirling around on the heels of her boots, Arla began to quickly walk after Nyko. The sound of her feet crunching drew his attention as he paused in taking another step and he turned his body to stare at her.

Before Nyko could say anything, Arla pressed her lips against his cheek and then she pulled back just as quick with her cheeks starting to flush a light pink hue.

"Thanks for all the help today. See ya later, Nyko." Arla said, giving him a nod and she quickly turned away to walk away in a quick manner.

Nyko stood back and watched Arla quickly walked away then disappeared around a couple of trees that were closely together. He understood that she probably got away quick as he noted how fluster she got when she made such a bold and affectionate action to him. Actions that he did not mind at all.

Swallowing a bit harder than usual, Nyko cleared his throat and he turned back on his feet to begin making his journey through the woods back to his village.

As he walked, the thought of how bold and affectionate Arla was to him, he began to wonder why he hadn't done something back. His people, the Grounders, were known as warriors. Strong, brave and will fight for what they want. With Arla showing such action to him and how she got flustered up afterwards, Nyko was taking it as a hint that she was attracted to him. He was attracted to her.

The next time, he will be the one to take the step before her.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**Here was another chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

**Thank You!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter:** Strong Bond

**…****..**

**…****.. Next Day; Nighttime: …..**

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The moment that she had stepped in camp after being a way for a couple of days, Arla was bombarded by questions about the whereabouts of Octavia. With the same question asked of her over and over again, Arla simply replied that she didn't know.

Walking through the camp, her eyes took in the new log walls that were being built around the camp. She nodded her head at the sight of defensive walls around the camp to protect them from the Grounders and other enemies that could be lurking in the woods.

Though Arla came back to camp to check in and see what was new. Now, she had come to find out that Octavia was missing and Bellamy gather everyone up to most likely start up a search.

"Everyone gather around and grab a women." Bellamy stated as he walked into the circle of people in the middle of camp and threw a piece of parachute down.

Inside the parachute was handmade weapons that were made into sharp objects from debris of the drop ship.

Arla stood behind the group of people with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes focusing in on Bellamy, knowing that he will take everyone from this camp to spread out in the woods during night time. She understand that it was his sister, but it was a dangerous and risky move to go out into the night, not knowing the full layout of the area and what lurks out there during the night.

"My sister's been out there alone for twelve hours. Arm up. We're not coming back without her." Bellamy firmly stated.

Everyone began to separate and gather up weapons that they had or the ones that Bellamy presented to them if they didn't have any. Arla stayed back as she let her eyes flicker around her surroundings to watch the others do what Bellamy told them to do.

"We need a tracker." Bellamy said as he moved toward Clarke.

"Finn, get out here." Bellamy then said, showing who he needed for tracking through the woods.

They waited for a couple of minutes making Bellamy to place his hands on his hips, glaring at the tent that Finn was in.

"Finn, we're leaving." Bellamy firmly stated, losing his patience by the second.

"We might need you." Bellamy said as he walked by Arla causing her to quickly go after him and walk along his side.

"I'll stick going my own route." Arla told him as she went to continue to walk and leave the camp, but was stopped by the hand on her wrist.

"By yourself?" Bellamy lowly said, holding onto her wrist.

"If you haven't notice, I been scouting out the area and know it better than you. I'm fine. Trust me." Arla ripped her wrist out of his hold causing Bellamy to narrow his eyes on her and she gladly glare back.

"Guys, guys. Come here! What is that? It's so bright."

That made Bellamy and Arla from glaring at one another to look over to the teenager that pointed toward the sky. Everyone awed at the sight in the sky once they looked up at the night sky.

"Did you see that? Look up there."

"It's so beautiful."

Those around the camp kept awing over the sight.

When Arla looked up, her eyes widen and her mouth went agape as she wasn't awing over the sight. It looked as if it was meteor showers clutter together, sparkling brightly. Though Arla knew better. She knew those weren't meteor showers.

"They didn't work." An unknown face to Arla appeared between Clarke and Finn.

"They didn't see the flares." Clarke whispered.

"A meteor shower tells you that?" Bellamy slowly said, not getting the point why Clarke would say that.

"It's not a meteor shower, it's a funeral." Clarke corrected Bellamy with a sadden expression upon her face as the plan with the flares didn't work.

Arla kept staring at the hundreds of tiny bright lights streaking the night sky. Knowing by that sight that the Ark was losing oxygen quickly that they had to make sacrifices to make the Ark continue to live.

"Hundreds of bodies being returned to the Earth from the Ark. This is what looks like from the other side is." Clarke said causing those around expression turn from awe to fear as they began to think of their family and friends.

"They didn't get our message." Clarke turned to the unknown female face that appeared between Finn and her earlier.

"This is all because of you!" The unknown female charged forward, heading straight to Bellamy causing Arla to quickly back away from him to watch the scene unfold.

Quickly, Finn and Clarke grabbed onto her to hold her back from attacking Bellamy.

"I helped you find the radio."

"Yeah, after you jacked it from my pod and trashed it!" The teenager yelled.

That made Arla to come to realization what the big bang sound was a couple days ago. By this girl's comment, she had actually came down from the Ark in a pod and landed onto Earth to most likely see the reason behind their bracelets getting taken off. That was when realization struck Arla on who this girl was. For Arla knew one girl that was smart enough in mechanics and computers which was a girl named Raven Reyes.

Arla eyes flicker to Bellamy as she was gathering more and more information of what she had missed not being in camp. That Bellamy trashed whatever radio Raven had to be used to contact the Ark and tell them that they were all alive. If they were able to contact the Ark, that funeral in the sky wouldn't have been happening right now.

"Yeah, he knows. Now he has to live with it." Clarke said to Raven as she held her back then shot an 'I told you so' look toward him.

The look was mostly based on why they shouldn't have taken off the bracelets.

"All I know is that my sister is out there and I'm going to find her. You coming or what?" Bellamy eyes flicker away from the sky before looking over to Finn.

"Yeah."

"What are we waiting for? Move out." Bellamy exclaimed as he noted how everyone had unsure looks on their faces now as they stared at him.

Arla quickly moved out of the camp, but she stormed by Bellamy, but not without getting closer to him.

"Feeling guilty now?" Arla whispered to him.

That caused Bellamy to snap his head toward her with widen eyes and Arla just stared at him down. Then walked into a different direction as she was going to head back to her underground hideout. She moved along the trees, using the moon to guide her through the forest.

Seeing the familiar marks that she made on the tree that led her to the underground hideaway, she moved quicker across the ground. Her hand brushed against a large pine tree when arms burst out of the darkness to wrap around her mouth and waist.

Quickly her arms jutted back into the person's solar plexus then into their face causing them to let go. She quickly turned around and slammed her knee into their groin causing them to slam to the ground and hold it.

She went to run, but the person spoke out.

"You gotten stronger."

Whirling around, Arla saw the moonlight hit the person face to show it was Nyko.

"Nyko! Oh, I'm sorry. So sorry." Arla quickly knelt down beside him, reaching out to touch the side of his face where she could see that her elbow to his face split his upper cheek.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have sneaked up behind you and grabbed you like that. Yet now I know that you are getting stronger and reacting quicker."

A small laugh escaped her as she checked his face and pressed down on areas around his cheekbone to make sure that nothing was damage. Nodding her head when she took note that she didn't break or creak any cheekbone, she let go of his face.

"The knee was a bit much." Nyko jokily said as he winced when he sat up, his hands still on his groin area.

"I'm really sorry about that."

"Self-defense." Nyko had to keep pointing out to her.

After a minute passed, Nyko was able to stand up but he was still wincing occasionally as they began to walk toward her hideout.

"What are you doing out this late?"

"I was talking to Lincoln about his new pet."

"He has Octavia, doesn't he?" Arla quickly asked, her eyes searching Nyko's face to see his jaw flex then he nodded.

"Why? Why would he take her?"

"He is infatuated with her."

That got Arla's eyebrows to raise and she stared back forward, licking her bottom lip then nodding.

"Oh, well then."

A small chuckle escaped Nyko as Arla was surprised by Lincoln's obsession with Octavia that he took her and was keeping her for himself.

They made their way into Arla's hideout place and there Arla began to turn on all the lights to light up the room. When Arla turned to face Nyko, she gasped out and rushed up to him causing him to get a slight panic on his face as he was wondering what she was freaking out about.

"Your face! Oh shit."

"What's wrong with it?"

"With me elbowing you in the face, it's causing a nice looking bruise to appear on your cheek. I need to clean this cut on your face too. Oh, I'm so sorry again, Nyko." Arla rambled as she moved to the shelf where she had medical supplies at.

Pulling out a small container that was alcohol, she made Nyko to sit down at the seat at the table for her to be able to clean the cut across his cheek. With a small cloth, she poured some alcohol on it then brought it up to begin cleaning the cut. Nyko's face twitched at the slight sting, but the pain began to dull after a few seconds.

Nyko kept his eyes on Arla as she worked on his cheek. She was putting some cream on it next for it to not get infected or swell up anymore. As she cleaned her fingers off and went to step out from standing between his legs, which she had not notice for she was so focus on taking care of him, Nyko hands shot out to grasp her hips.

A gasp escaped her as she stared down at him in shock as he held her in place and was staring up at her with a look that wanted to consume her. It made the hairs on her body to raise with a pleasant feeling starting to go through her, especially with the warmth of his hands and how he was slowly rising from the seat.

Last time when she made the bold move to press her lips against his cheek with a glint in her eyes, Nyko promised himself that he will step up next time. That he will take it to a new level.

It definitely was against his people ways to treat these Sky people with any respect. But, Arla was different. Nyko wanted to prove that not all Sky people were here to destroy them or do anything that was negative toward them. They were here to survive as they couldn't do so anymore in the Ark. Nyko wanted to use Arla as an example as a 'good' and 'useful' Sky person to his people.

Arla stared up at Nyko as he towered over her with the way that his chest brushed against her own, showing how close they were standing. She was slowly blinking up at him and open her mouth to make a comment, but found herself not able to form any words.

"You were defending yourself. Stop apologizing. I praise you on how defensive you got and how you protect yourself. It makes me to know that you can handle yourself." Nyko told her, bringing his left hand up to brush some of her hair strands back.

Swallowing a bit hard and thrown off with how Nyko was acting, Arla tried to step back, but his right hand that was still on her hip held her in place. One of his eyebrows raised up with a questionable look at her tugging away.

"Pulling away?"

"What are you thinking, Nyko?" She questioned instead of answering him.

He didn't answer, holding back a smirk when she let out a huff for not answering her.

"Are you going to keep me like Lincoln is keeping Octavia?"

That got Nyko to chuckle and he lean his face closer to her own making Arla to bite her bottom lip, still not quite understanding Nyko's sudden boldness toward her. It made her to wonder if this was how he was once he was comfortable. Then again, Arla found Nyko as the serious and laid back type.

"Maybe." Nyko said causing her eyes to widen as his face got closer to her own.

Some reason Arla decided to play the hard to get and to catch me role. She manage to break free from Nyko's hold and dash for the ladder with a playful smile. Jumping onto the ladder, Arla tried to get up them, but let out a scream as hands grabbed her legs and ripped her down.

Arla shut her eyes as she fell backwards, but was caught in solid arms. Being placed down on her feet, she open her eyes to begin pushing against his chest, but he bear hugged her. The playful smile still on her lips and reaching her eyes now.

Nyko knew that she was being playful and trying to see if she'll catch him off guard and if he could keep hold of her to prove that he could handle her.

"Let me go!" Arla tried to be serious, but ended up laughing.

Not hearing Nyko give any reply, she stared up at him.

That was what he wanted. Her eyes to make contact with him so he could answer.

"Never."

Large hands pressed against her back to keep her pressed against him. Her hands pressed against his shoulders.

This was no kiss on the cheek or a hug.

Nyko took it to the next step as he promised to himself before.

His lips were pressed against her own. It took a few seconds for Arla to begin kissing him back with her arms coming around to his neck to keep herself there.

There was no thoughts about earlier today about the Ark or searching for Octavia. There was nothing, but this moment here between Nyko and Arla, not seeing each other as a Grounder and Sky person. It was two individuals that felt for one another and their bond becoming stronger by the seconds.

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**Hi Everyone,**

**I guess this will be the chapter where many will say "Finally!" Between the two. **

**Just a side note. I have been writing a few chapters of new stories. Like one with Marcus and another with Roan. Just saying. **

**(Also, if the format is weird, some reason nothing is uploading so I had to copy and paste this chapter)**

**Enjoy!**

**Thank You for Reading!**


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